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The Blue and the Gray Series

TAKEN BY THE ENEMY
WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES
ON THE BLOCKADE
STAND BY THE UNION (In Press)

I Lee and Shepard Publishers Boston

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

http://archive.org/details/takenbyenemyOOopt

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"Thukk (Jhekrs for Captain Passford" (Page 75)

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The 73lue and the Gray Series

TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

BY

OLIVER OPTIC

AUTHOR OF THE ARMY AND NAVY SERIES YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD

"THE GREAT western series" "the WOODVILLE stories"
" THE STARRY-FLAG SERIES" " THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES "
"THE ONWARD AND UPWARD SERIES " "THE YACHT-
CLUB SERIES" "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES"
"THE RIVERDALE series" "the
BOAT-BUILDER SERIES" ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

BOSTON 1890
LEE AND SHEPARD Publishers

IO MILK STREET NEXT " THE OLD SOUTH MEETING-HOUSE "

NEW YORK CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM

718 AND 720 BROADWAY

Copyright, 1888, by Lee and Shepard.

All rights reserved.

Taken by the Enemy.

TO

MY NEPHEW,

HERBERT W. ADAMS,

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

PEEFAOE

" Taken by the Enemy " is the first of a new
series of six volumes which are to be associated
under the general title of " The Blue and the
Gray Series," which sufficiently indicates the char-
acter of the books. At the conclusion of the
war of the Rebellion, and before the writer had
completed "The Army and Navy Series," over
twenty years ago, some of his friends advised
him to make all possible haste to bring his war
stories to a conclusion, declaring that there could
be no demand for such works when the war had
come to an end. But the volumes of the series
mentioned are as much in demand to-day as any
of his other stories, though from their nature the
field of their circulation is more limited. Surpris-
ing as this may appear, it is still the fact ; and
certainly the author has received more commend-
atory letters from young people in regard to the

696744

6 PREFACE

books of this series than concerning those of any
other.

Among these letters there has occasionally
been one, though rarely, in which the writer
objected to this series for the reason that he was
"on the other side" of the great issue which shook
the nation to the centre of its being for four years.
Doubtless the writers of these letters, and many
who wrote no letters, will be surprised and
grieved at the announcement of another series
by the author on war topics. The writer had
little inclination to undertake this task; for he
has believed for twenty years that the war is over,
and he has not been disposed to keep alive old
issues which had better remain buried. He has
spent some time in the South, and has always
found himself among friends there. He became
personally acquainted with those who fought on
the Confederate side, from generals to privates,
and he still values their friendship. He certainly
is not disposed to write any thing that would cause
him to forfeit his title to the kind feeling that was
extended to him.

It is not, therefore, with the desire or intention
to rekindle the fires of sectional animosity, now

PREFACE 7

happily subdued, that the writer begins another
series relating to the war. The call upon him to
use the topics of the war has been so urgent, and
its ample field of stirring events has been so
inviting, that he could not resist ; but, while his
own opinions in regard to the great question of
five-and-twenty years ago remain unchanged, he
hopes to do more ample justice than perhaps was
done before to those "who fought on the other
side."

The present volume introduces those which are
to follow it, and presents many of the characters
that are to figure in them. Though written from
the Union standpoint, the author hopes that it
will not be found unfair or unjust to those wIig
looked from the opposite point of view.

Dorchester, June 12, 1888.

CONTENTS

CHAPTEK I. page

Astounding News from the Shore .... 13

CHAPTER II.
The Brother at the South 24

CHAPTER III.
Dangerous and Somewhat Irregular ... 35

CHAPTER IY.
The First Mission of the Bellevite. . . 47

CHAPTER V.
The Bellevite and those on Board of her. . 58

CHAPTER VI.
Mr. Percy Pierson introduces himself ... 69

CHAPTER VII.
A Complication at Glenfield ..... 80

CHAPTER VIII.
A Disconsolate Purchaser of Vessels ... 91

CHAPTER IX.
Christy matures a Promising Scheme . . . 102

10 CONTENTS

CHAPTER X. paob

The Attempt to pass into Mobile Bay . . .113

CHAPTER XL
The Major in Command of Fort Gaines. . . 124

CHAPTER XII.

HOW THE BELLEVITE PASSED FOKT MORGAN . . 135

CHAPTER XIII.
A Decided Difference of Opinion ■ . . . . 146

CHAPTER XIV.
The Blue and the Gray 157

CHAPTER XV.
Brother at War with Brother . . . .168

CHAPTER XVI.
Christy finds himself a Prisoner .... 179

CHAPTER XVII.
Major Pierson is puzzled 190

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Morning Trip of the Leopard . . . .201

CHAPTER XIX.
The Report of the Scout from the Shore . . 212

CHAPTER XX.
A Rebellion in the Pilot-House . . . . 223

CONTENTS 11

CHAPTER XXI. page

The Sick Captain of the Leopard .... 234

CHAPTER XXII.

The Proceedings on the Lower Deck . . . 245

CHAPTER XXIII.
The Expedition from the Leopard .... 256

CHAPTER XXIV.
The Engineer goes into the Forecastle . . 267

CHAPTER XXV.
The First Lesson for a Sailor 278

CHAPTER XXVI.
The Post of Duty and of Danger .... 289

CHAPTER XXVII.
A Cannon-Ball through the Leopard . . . 300

CHAPTER XXVIII.
The American Flag at the Fore . . . .311

CHAPTER XXIX.
On Board of the Bellevite 322

CHAPTER XXX.
Running the Gantlet 333

TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER I

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHORE

" This is most astounding news ! " exclaimed
Captain Horatio Passford.

It was on the deck of the magnificent steam-
yacht Bellevite, of which he was the owner ;
and with the newspaper, in which he had read
only a few of the many head-lines, still in his
hand, he rushed furiously across the deck, in a
state of the most intense agitation.

It would take more than one figure to indicate
the number of millions by which his vast wealth
was measured, in the estimation of those who
knew most about his affairs ; and he was just
returning from a winter cruise in his yacht.

His wife and son were on board ; but his daugh-
ter had spent the winter at the South with her

13

14 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Uncle, preferring this to a voyage at sea, being
in rather delicate health, and the doctors thought
a quiet residence in a genial climate was better
for her.

The Bellevite had been among the islands
of the Atlantic, visiting the Azores, Madeira,
the Canary Islands, and was now coming from
Bermuda. She had just taken a pilot fifty miles
from Sandy Hook, and was bound to New York,
for the captain's beautiful estate, Bonnydale, was
located on the Hudson.

As usual, the pilot had brought on board with
him the latest New- York papers, and one of them
contained the startling news which appeared to
have thrown the owner of the Bellevite entirely
off his balance ; and it was quite astounding enough
to produce this effect upon any American.

"What is it, sir?" demanded Christopher
Passford, his son, a remarkably bright-looking
young fellow of sixteen, as he followed his father
across the deck.

" What is it, Horatio ? " inquired Mrs. Passford,
who had been seated with a book on the deck,
as she also followed her husband.

The captain was usually very cool and self-

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHORE 15

possessed, and neither the wife nor the son had
ever before seen him so shaken by agitation.
He seemed to be unable to speak a word for the
time, and took no notice whatever of his wife
and son when they addressed him.

For several minutes he continued to rush back
and forth across the deck of the steamer, like a
vessel which had suddenly caught a heavy flaw
of wind, and had not yet come to her bearings.

" What is the matter, Horatio ? " asked Mrs.
Passford, when he came near her. "What in
the world has happened to overcome you in this
manner, for I never saw you so moved before ? "

But her husband did not reply even to this
earnest interrogatory, but again darted across the
deck, and his lips moved as though he were
muttering something to himself. He did not look
at the paper in his hands again ; and whatever the
startling intelligence it contained, he seemed to
have taken it all in at a glance.

Christy, as the remarkably good-looking young
man was called by all in the family and on board
of the Bellevite, appeared to be even more
astonished than his mother at the singular con-
duct of his father ; but he saw how intense was

16 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

his agitation, and he did not follow him in his
impulsive nights across the deck.

Though his father had always treated him with
great consideration, and seldom if ever had occa-
sion to exercise any of his paternal authority
over him, the young man never took advantage
of the familiarity existing between them. His
father was certainly in a most extraordinary
mood for him, and he could not venture to speak
a word to him.

He stood near the companionway, not far from
his mother, and he observed the movements of
his father with the utmost interest, not unmingled
with anxiety ; and Mrs. Passford fully shared
with him the solicitude of -the moment.

The steamer was going at full speed in the
direction of Sandy Hook. Captain Passford gave
no heed to the movement of the vessel, but for
several minutes planked the deck as though he
were unable to realize the truth or the force
of the news he had hastily gathered from the
head-lines of the newspaper.

At last he halted in the waist, at some distance
from the other members of his family, raised
his paper, and fixed his gaze upon the staring

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHORE 17

announcement at the head of one of its columns.
No one ventured to approach him ; for he was the
magnate of the vessel, and, whatever his humor,
he was entitled to the full benefit of it.

He only glanced at the head-lines as he had
done before, and then dropped the paper, as
though the announcement he had read was all he
desired to know.

" Beeks," said he, as a quartermaster passed
near him.

The man addressed promptly halted, raised his
hand to his cap, and waited the pleasure of the
owner of the steamer.

" Tell Captain Breaker that I wish to see him,
if you please," added Captain Passford.

The man repeated the name of the person he
was to call, and hastened away to obey the order.
The owner resumed Iris march across the deck,
though it was evident to the anxious observers
that he had in a great measure recovered his self-
possession, for his movements were less nervous,
and the usual placid calm was restored to his face.

In another minut*, Captain Breaker, who was
the actual commander of the vessel, appeared
in the waist, and walked up to his owner.

18 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Though not more than forty -five years old, his
hair and full beard were heavily tinted with gray ;
and an artist who wished for an ideal shipmaster,
who was both a gentleman and a sailor, could not
have found a better representative of this type in
the merchant or naval service, or on the deck
of the finest steam-yacht in the world.

" You sent for me, Captain Passford," said the
commander, in respectful but not subservient
tones.

"You will take the steamer to some point off
Fire Island, and come to anchor there," replied
the owner, as, without any explanation, he walked
away from the spot.

"Off Fire Island,*1 added Captain Breaker,
simply repeating the name of the locality to which
his order related, but not in a tone that required
an exclamation-point to express his surprise.

Whatever the captain of the Bellevite thought
or felt, it was an extraordinary order which he
received. It was in the month of April, and the
vessel had been absent about five months on her
winter pleasure cruise.

In a few hours more the yacht could easily be
at her moorings off Bonnydale on the Hudson .

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHORE 19

but when almost in sight of New York, the captain
had been ordered to anchor, as though the owner
had no intention of returning to his elegant
home.

If he was surprised, as doubtless he was, he did
not manifest it in the slightest degree ; for he was
a sailor, and it was a part of his gospel to obey
the orders of his owner without asking any
questions.

No doubt he thought of his wife and children
as he walked forward to the pilot-house to execute
his order, for he had been away from them for a
long time. The three papers brought on board
by the pilot had all been given to the owner,
and he had no hint of the startling news they
contained.

The course of the Bellevite was promptly
changed more to the northward; and if the pilot
wished to be informed in regard to this strange
alteration in the immediate destination of the
vessel, Captain Breaker was unable to give him
any explanation.

Captain Passford was evidently himself again;
and he did not rush across the deck as he had
clone before, but seated himself in an armchair he

20 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

had occupied before the pilot came on board, and
proceeded to read something more than the head-
lines in the paper.

He hardly moved or looked up for half an hour,
so intensely was he absorbed in the narrative
before him. Mrs. Passford and Christy, though
even more excited by the singular conduct of
the owner, and the change in the course of the
steamer, did not venture to interrupt him.

The owner took the other two papers from his
pocket, and had soon possessed himself of all the
details of the astounding news ; and it was plain
enough to those who so eagerly observed his
expression as he read, that he was impressed as
he had never been before in his life.

Before the owner had finished the reading of
the papers, the Bellevite had reached the anchorage
chosen by the pilot, and the vessel was soon fast
to the bottom in a quiet sea.

" The tide is just right for going up to the
city," said the pilot, who had left his place in
the pilot-house, and addressed himself to the
owner in the waist.

" But we shall not go up to the city," replied
Captain Passford, in a very decided tone. " But

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHORE 21

that shall make no difference in your pilot's fees.
— Captain Breaker."

The captain of the steamer, who had also come
out of the pilot-house, had stationed himself with-
in call of the owner to receive the next order,
which might throw some light on the reason for
anchoring the steamer so near her destination on
a full sea. He presented himself before the
magnate of the yacht, and indicated that he was
ready to take his further orders.

" You will see that the pilot is paid his full
fee for taking the vessel to a wharf," continued
Captain Passford.

The captain bowed, and started towards the
companionway ; but the owner called him back.

" I see what looks like a tug to the westward
of us. You will set the signal to bring her
alongside," the magnate proceeded.

This order was even more strange than that
under which the vessel had come to anchor so
near home after her long cruise ; but the captain
asked no questions, and made no sign. Calling
Beeks, he went aft with the pilot, and paid him
his fees.

When the American flag was displayed in the

22 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

fore-rigging for the tug, Captain Passford, with
his gaze fixed on the planks of the deck, walked
slowly to the place where his wife was seated,
and halted in front of her without speaking a
word. But there was a quivering of the lip
which assured the lady and her son that he was
still struggling to suppress his agitation.

" What is the matter, Horatio ? " asked the
wife, in the tenderest of tones, while her expres-
sion assured those who saw her face that the
anxiety of the husband had been communicated
to the wife.

"I need hardly tell you, Julia, that I am
disturbed as I never was before in all my life,"
replied he, maintaining his calmness only with
a struggle.

" I can see that something momentous has
happened in our country," she added, hardly able
to contain herself, for she felt that she was in the
presence of an unexplained calamity.

" Something has happened, my dear ; something
terrible, — something that I did not expect, though
many others were sure that it would come," he
continued, seating himself at the side of his wife.

" But you do not tell me what it is," said the

ASTOUNDING NEWS FROM THE SHOEE 23

lady, with a look which indicated that her worst
fears were confirmed. "Is Florry worse? Is
she " —

" So far as I know, Florry is as well as usual,"
interposed the husband. " But a state of war
exists at the present niauient between the North
and the South."

24 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER II

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH

Et^rN' five months before, when the Belle vite
had sailed on her cruise, the rumble of coming
events had been heard in the United States ; and
it had been an open question whether or not war
would grow out of the complications between the
North and the South.

Only a few letters, and fewer newspapers, had
reached the owner of the yacht; and he and
his family on board had been very indifferently
informed in regard to the progress of political
events at home. Captain Passford was one of
those who confidently believed that no very
serious difficulty would result from the entangle-
ments into which the country had been plunged
by the secession of the most of the Southern
States.

He would not admit even to himself that war

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH 25

was possible ; and before his departure he had
scouted the idea of a conflict with arms between
the brothers of the North and the brothers of the
South, as he styled them.

Captain Passford had been the master of a ship
in former times, though he had accumulated his vast
fortune after he abandoned the sea. His father
was an Englishman, who had come to the United
States as a young man, had married, raised his
two sons, and died in the city of New York.

These two sons, Horatio and Homer, were
respectively forty-five and forty years of age.
Both of them were married, and each of them
had only a son and a daughter. While Horatio
had been remarkably successful in his pursuit of
wealth in the metropolis, he had kept himself
clean and honest, like so many of the wealthy
men of the great city. When he retired from
active business, he settled at Bonnydale on the
Hudson.

His brother had been less successful as a
business-man, and soon after his marriage to
a Northern lady he had purchased a plantation
in Alabama, where both of his children had been
born, and where he was a man of high standing,

26 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

with wealth enough to maintain his position in
luxury, though his fortune was insignificant
compared with that of his brother.

Between the two brothers and their families the
most kindly relations had always existed ; and
Bach made occasional visits to the other, though
the distance which separated them was too great
to permit of very frequent exchanges personally
of brotherly love and kindness.

Possibly the fraternal feeling which subsisted
between the two brothers had some influence
Upon the opinions of Horatio, for to him hostili-
ties meant making war upon his only brother,
whom he cherished as warmly as if they had not
been separated by a distance of over a thousand
miles.

He measured the feelings of others by his own ;
and if all had felt as he felt, war would have
been an impossibility, however critical and momen-
tous the relations between the two sections.

Though his father had been born and bred in
England, Horatio was more intensely American
than thousands who came out of Plymouth Rock
stock ; and he believed in the union of the
States, unable to believe that any true citizen

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH 27

could tolerate the idea of a separation of any
kind.

The first paper which Captain Passford read on
the deck of the Bellevite contained the details
of the bombardment and capture of Fort Sumter ;
and the others, a record of the events which had
transpired in the few succeeding days after the
news of actual war reached the North.

This terrible intelligence was unexpected to
the owner of the yacht, believing, as he had, in the
impossibility of war ; and it seemed to him just as
though he and his cherished brother were already
arrayed against each other on the battle-field.

The commotion between the two sections had
begun before his departure from home on the
yacht cruise , but his brother, perhaps because
he was fully instructed in regard to the Union
sentiment of Horatio, was strangely reticent, and
expressed no opinions of his own.

But Captain Passford, measuring his brother
according to his own standard, was fully per-
suaded that Homer was as sound on the great
question as he was himself, though the excitement
and violence around him might have caused him
to maintain a neutral position.

28 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Certainly if the Northern brother had antici-
pated that a terrible war was impending, he
would not have permitted his daughter Florence,
a beautiful young lady of seventeen, to reside
during the winter in a hot-bed of secession and
disunion. The papers informed him what had
been done at the North and at the South to
initiate the war ; and the thought that Florry was
now in the midst of the enemies of her country
was agonizing to him.

Though he felt that his country demanded his
best energies, and though lie was ready and will-
ing to give himself and his son to her in her hour
of need, he felt that his first duty was to his own
family, within reasonable limits ; and his earliest
thoughts were directed to the safety of his daugh-
ter, and then to the welfare of his brother and
his family.

" War ! " exclaimed Mrs. Passford, when her
husband had announced so briefly the situation
which had caused such intense agitation in his
soul. " What do you mean by war, Horatio ? "

"I mean all that terrible word can convey of
destruction and death, and, worse yet, of hate
and revenge between brothers of the same house-

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH 29

hold ! " replied the husband impressively. " Both
the North and the South are sounding the notes
of preparation. Men are gathering by thousands
on both sides, soon to meet on fields which must
be drenched in the gore of brothers."

" But don't you think the trouble will be settled
in some way, Horatio?" asked the anxious wife
and mother; and her thoughts, like those of her
husband, reverted to the loving daughter then in
the enemy's camp.

" I do not think so ; that is impossible now. I
did not believe that war was possible : now
I do not believe it will be over till one side or
the other shall be exhausted," replied Captain
Passford, wiping from his brow the perspiration
which the intensity of his emotion produced.
"A civil war is the most bitter and terrible of all
wars."

" I cannot understand it," added the lady.

"Is it really war, sir?" asked Christy, who
had been an interested listener to all that had
been said.

" It is really war, my son," replied the father
earnestly. "It will be a war which cannot be
carried to a conclusion by hirelings ; but father,

30 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

son, and brother must take part in it, against
father, son, and brother."

" It is terrible to think of," added Mrs. Passford
with something like a shudder, though she was a
strong-minded woman in the highest sense of the
words.

Captain Passford then proceeded to inform his
wife and son in regard to all the events which had
transpired since he had received his latest papers
at Bermuda. They listened with the most intense
interest, and the trio were as solemn as though
they had met to consider the dangerous illness of
the absent member of the family.

The owner did not look upon the impending
war as a sort of frolic, as did many of the people
at the North and the South, and he could not
regard it as a trivial conflict which would be
ended in a few weeks or a few months. To
him it was the most terrible reality which his
imagination could picture ; and more clearly
than many eminent statesmen, he foresaw that it
would be a long and fierce encounter.

"From what you say, Horatio, I judge that
the South is already arming for the conflict,"
said Mrs. Passford, after she had heard her

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH 31

husband's account of what had occurred on
shore.

" The South has been preparing for war for
months, and the North began to make serious
preparation for coming events as soon as Fort
Sumter fell. Doubtless the South is better
prepared for the event to-day than the North,
though the greater population and vast resources
of the latter will soon make up for lost time,"
replied the captain.

"And Florry is right in the midst of the
gathering armies of the South," added the fond
mother, wiping a tear from her eyes.

" She is ; and, unless something is done at once
to restore her to her home, she may have to
remain in the enemy's country for months, if not
for years," answered the father, with a slight
trembling of the lips.

"But what can be done?" asked the mother
anxiously.

" The answer to that question has agitated me
more than any thing else which has come to my
mind for years, for I cannot endure the thought
of leaving her even a single month at any point
which is as likely as any other to become a

32 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

battle-field in a few days or a few weeks,"
continued Captain Passford, with some return
of the agitation which had before shaken him
so terribly.

" Of course your brother Homer will take care
of her," said the terrified mother, as she gazed
earnestly into the expressive face of the stout-
hearted man before her.

"Certainly he will do all for Florry that he
would do for his own children, but he may not
long be able to save his own family from the
horrors of war."

" Do you think she will be in any actual danger,
Horatio ? "

" I have no doubt she will be as safe at
Glenfield, if the conflict were raging there, as
she would be at Bonnydale under the same
circumstances. From the nature of the case, the
burden of the fighting, the havoc and desolation,
will be within the Southern States, and few, if
any, of the battle-fields will be on Northern soil,
or at least as far north as our home."

" From what I have seen of the people near the
residence of your brother, they are neither brutes
nor savages," added the lady.

THE BROTHER AT THE SOUTH 33

" No more than the people of the North ; but
war rouses the brute nature of most men, and
there will be brutes and savages on both sides,
from the very nature of the case."

" In his recent letters, I mean those that came
before we sailed from home, Homer did not seem
to take part with either side in the political
conflict ; and in those which came to us at the
Azores and Bermuda, he did not say a single
word to indicate whether he is a secessionist, or
in favor of the Union. Do you know how he
stands, Horatio ? " •

" My means of knowing are the same as yours,
and I can be no wiser than you are on this point,
though I have my opinion," replied Captain
Passford.

" What is your opinion ? "

" That he is as truly a Union man as I am."

"I am glad that he is."

" I do not say that he is a Union man ;' but
judging from his silence, and what I know of him,
I think he is. And it is as much a part of my
desire and intention to bring him and his family
out of the enemy's country as it is to recover
Florry."

34 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" Then we shall have them all at Bonnydale
this summer ? " suggested Mrs. Passford. "Noth-
ing could suit me better."

" Though I am fully persuaded in my own mind
that Homer will be true to his country in this
emergency, I may be mistaken. He has lived for
many years at the South, and has been identified
with the institutions of that locality, as I have
been with those of the North. Though we both
love the land of our fathers on the other side of
the ocean, we have both been strongly American.
As he always believed in the whole country as a
unit, I shall expect him to be more than willing
to stand by his country as it was, and as it
should be."

"I hope you will find him so, but I am
grievously sorry that Florry is not with us."

"Tug-boat alongside, Captain Passford," said
the commander.

The owner of the Bellevite wished the tug to
wait his orders.

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 35

CHAPTER III

DANGEROUS AND SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR

In various parts of the deck of the Bellevite,
the officers, seamen, engineers, and coal-passers
of the steamer were gathered in knots, evidently
discussing the situation ; for the news brought on
board by the pilot had been spread through the
ship.

Captain Passford hardly noticed the announce-
ment made to him by the commander, that the tug
was alongside, for he was not yet ready to make
use of it. Even the wife and the son of the owner
wondered what the mission of the little vessel
was to be ; but the husband and father had not
yet disclosed his purpose in coming to anchor
almost in sight of his own mansion.

"Why have you come to anchor here, Horatio?"
asked Mrs. Passford, taking advantage of the
momentary pause in the interesting, and even

36 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

exciting, conversation, to put this leading ques-
tion.

" I was about to tell you. I have already
adopted my plan to recover Florry, and bring
my brother and his family out of the enemy's
country," replied the owner, looking with some
solicitude into the face of his wife, as though he
anticipated some objection to his plan.

" You have adopted it so quick ? " inquired the
lady. " You have not had much time to think
of it."

" I have had all the time I need to enable me
to reach the decision to rescue my child from
peril, and save my brother and his family
from privation and trouble in the enemy's country.
But I have only decided what to do, and I have
yet to mature the details of the scheme."

" I hope you are not going into any danger,"
added the wife anxiously.

" Danger ! " exclaimed Captain Passford.
straightening up his manly form. "War with
all its perils and hardships is before us. Am I a
villain, a poltroon, who will desert his country
in the hour of her greatest need ? I do not so
understand myself."

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 37,

" Of course I meant any needless exposure,"
added Mrs. Passford, impressed by the patriotic
bearing of her husband.

" You may be assured, Julia, that I will incur
no needless peril, and I think I am even more
careful than the average of men. But, when I
have a duty to perform, I feel that I ought to
do it without regard to the danger which may
surround it."

" I know you well enough to understand that,
Horatio," said the lady.

"I believe there will be danger in my under-
taking, though to what extent I am unable to
say."

"But you do not tell me how you intend to
recover Florry."

" I intend to go for her and my brother's family
in the Bellevite."

" In the Bellevite ! " exclaimed the lady.

" Of course ; there is no other possible way to
reach Glenfield," which was the name that
Homer Passford had given to his plantation.

" But Fort Morgan, at the entrance of Mobile
Bay, is in the hands of the Confederates, and
has been for three or four months," said Christy,

38 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

who had kept himself as thoroughly posted
in regard to events at home as the sources of
information would permit.

" I am well aware of it ; and I have no doubt,
that, by this time, the fort is strongly garrisoned,
to say nothing of other forts which have prob-
ably been built in the vicinity," replied Captain
Passford.

"It says in this paper that the ports of the
South have been blockaded," said Christy, glancing
at the journal in his hand.

"The President has issued a proclamation to
this effect, but there has hardly been time to
enforce it to any great extent yet. But of these
matters I have nothing to say yet. The important
point now is that I shall go in the Bellevite
to Mobile Bay, and by force or strategy I shall
bring off my daughter and the family of my
brother."

" Then I suppose Christy and I are to be sent
on shore in the tug alongside," suggested Mrs.
Passford.

" That is precisely what I wanted the tug for,"
added the husband.

" I should be willing to go with you, and share

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 39

whatever dangers you may incur," said the lady,
who had by this time come to a full realization of
what war meant.

" I should be a heathen to allow you to do so.
A woman would be more of a burden than a help
to us. You had better return to Bonnyclale,
Julia, where I am sure you can render more
service to your country than you could on board
of the steamer. All that I am, all that I have,
shall be at the service of the Union ; and I wish
you to act for me according to your own good
judgment."

"I shall do whatever you wish me to do,
Horatio," added the lady.

" My mission will be a dangerous one at best,
and the deck of the steamer will be no place for
you, Julia."

" Very well ; Christy and I will take the tug as
soon as you are ready to have us leave you."

" Am I to go on shore, father ? " demanded
Christy, with a look of chagrin on his handsome
face, browned by exposure to the sun on the
ocean. " I want to go with you ; and I am sure
I can do my share of the duty, whatever it may
be."

40 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"You are rather young to engage in such an
enterprise as that before me, Christy," added his
father, as he gazed with pride at the face and form
of his son, who had thrown back his head as
though he felt the inspiration of all the manliness
in his being.

" If there is to be a war for the Union, I am a
Union man, or boy, as you like ; and it would be
as mean and cowardly for me to turn my back to
the enemy as it would be for you to do so, sir,"
replied Christy, his chest heaving with patriotic
emotion.

" I am willing you should go with me," added
Captain Passford, turning from the young man
to his mother.

There was a tear in the eyes of the lady as she
looked upon her son. It was hard enough to
have her husband leave her on such a mission : it
was doubly so to have Christy go with him.

" Christy might be of great service to me," said
his father. " I look upon this war as a very
solemn event; and when a man's country calls
upon him to render his time, his comfort, even his
life, he has no moral right to put himself, his
father, his brother, or his son in a safe place, and

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 41

leave mere hirelings, the thoughtless, reckless
adventurers, to fight his battle for him."

" I am ready to go, sir," added Christy.

"He may go with you, if you think it best,"
said the mother with a quivering lip. " I shall
miss him, but I am sure you would miss him
more."

" My first mission is hardly in the service of my
country ; at least, it is not directly so, though I
hope to be of some use to her during my absence.
As I said before, I think my first duty — a duty
committed to me by the Almighty, which takes
precedence over all other duties — is, within
reasonable limits, to my own family. I will not
spare myself or my son, but I must save Florry
and my brother's family."

" I think you are right, Horatio."

" On my return I shall present the Bellevite to
the Government, which is in sore need of suitable
vessels at the present time, and offer my services
in any capacity in which I can be useful," con-
tinued Captain Passford. " Captain Breaker," he
called to the commander.

" Here, sir."

" Pipe the entire ship's company on the fore-

42 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

castle, and see that no one from the tug is near
enough to hear what is said there."

Captain Breaker had formerly been a lieutenant
in the navy, and the forms and discipline of a
man-of-war prevailed on board of the steam-yacht.
In a minute more the pipe of the boatswain rang
through the vessel, and all hands were mustered
on the forecastle. The tug was made fast on the
quarter of the steamer, and no one from her had
come on board.

Captain Passford and Christy walked forward,
leaving the lady with her own thoughts. She was
a daughter of a distinguished officer in the navy,
and she had been fully schooled in the lesson of
patriotism for such an emergency as the present.
She was sad, and many a tear dropped from her
still handsome face ; but she was brave enough to
feel proud that she had a husband and a son
whom she was willing to give to her country.

The ship's company gathered on the forecastle ;
and every one of them seemed to be deeply
impressed with the solemnity of the occasion, for
not a light word was spoken, not a laugh played
on any face. They had just learned that the
country was in a state of war; and the present

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 43

occasion indicated that the owner had some
serious question in his mind, which was now to
be presented to them.

The Bellevite was heavily manned for a yacht;
but every person had been selected for his
position, from the highest to the lowest, with
the utmost care by Captain Breaker, assisted by
the owner. Every one of them had been attached
to the steamer for at least a year, and some of
them for a longer period. All of them were
personally known to the owner and the members
of the family, who had taken the greatest pleasure
in improving and assisting them and their families,
if they had any.

They were all devoted to the owner and the
members of his family, who had taken such a
strong personal interest in them and theirs.
Many instances of the kindness of the lady in
times of sickness and death, as well as in the
brighter days of prosperity and happiness, could
be related ; and in return for all this generous
and considerate treatment, there was not a man
on board who would not have laid down his life
for the family.

It was certainly a model ship's company; and

44 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

if there had ever been another owner and captain
like those of the Bellevite, there might also have
been such another collection of officers and
seamen. But every one of them had been
selected for his moral character, not less than
for his nautical skill and knowledge. In fact,
the personal history of any one of them would
have been interesting to the general reader.

These men composed the audience of Captain
Passford when he took his place at the bowsprit
bitts; and, if the occasion had been less solemn,
they would have cheered him, as they were in the
habit of doing on every suitable opportunity, and
even when it was not suitable.

The owner prefaced his remarks with a state-
ment of the events which had occurred in the
country since the last dates they had received,
and then proceeded to describe his mission as
indicated to his wife and son. He fully stated
the perils of the enterprise, with the fact that his
operations would be somewhat irregular ; though
he intended to make an immediate tender of the
vessel to the Government, with his own services
in any capacity in which he might be needed.

In spite of the solemnity of the occasion, the

SOMEWHAT IRREGULAR 45

men broke out into cheers, and not a few of
the sailors shouted out their readiness to go with
him wherever he might go, without regard to
danger or hardship. One old sheet-anchor man
declared that he was ready to die for Miss Florry ;
and he was so lustily cheered that it was evident
this was the sentiment of all.

"I have called the tug at the quarter along-
side to convey Mrs. Passford to the shore,
though Christy will go with me," added the
owner.

At this point he was interrupted by a volley of
cheers, for Christy was a universal favorite on
board, as Florry had always been ; and the ship's
company regarded her as a sort of mundane
divinity, upon whom they could look only with
the most profound reverence.

" In view of the danger and, the irregularity of
the enterprise, I shall not persuade or urge any
person on board to accompany me ; and the tug
will take on shore all who prefer to leave the
vessel, with my best wishes for their future.
Those who prefer to go on shore will go
aft to the mainmast," continued Captain Pass-
ford.

46 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Officers and seamen looked from one to the
other ; but not one of them took a step from his
place on the forecastle, to which all seemed to be
nailed.

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 47

CHAPTER IV

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE

Captain Passford looked over his audience
with no little interest, and perhaps with consider-
able anxiety ; for he felt that the success of his
enterprise must depend, in a great measure, upon
the fidelity and skill of the individual members
of the ship's company.

" My remarks are addressed to every person in
the ship's company, from Captain Breaker to the
stewards and coal-passers ; and any one has a
perfect right to decline to go with me, without
prejudice to his present or future interests,"
continued the owner.

More earnestly than before the officers and men
gazed at each other ; and it looked as though not
one of them dared to move a single inch, lest a
step should be interpreted as an impeachment of
his fidelity to one who had been a Christian and a
trusty friend in all his relations with him.

48 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"I know that some of you have families,
mothers, brothers, and sisters on shore ; and I
assure you that I shall not regard it as a disgrace
or a stigma upon any man who does his duty as he
understands it, without regard to me or mine,"
the owner proceeded.

Still not a man moved, and all seemed to be
more averse than before to change their positions a
particle ; and possibly any one who was tempted
to do so expected to be hooted by his shipmates,
if he took the treacherous step.

" I sincerely hope that every man of you will be
guided by his own sense of duty, without regard
to what others may think of his action. I will
not allow any man to suffer from any reproach or
indignity on account of what he does in this
matter, if by any means I can prevent it," con-
tinued Captain Passford, looking over his audience
again, to discover, if he could, any evidence ol
faltering on the part of a single one.

Still officers and men were as immovable as a
group of statuary ; and not a face betrayed an
expression indicating a desire to leave the vessel,
or to falter in what all regarded as the allegiance
they owed to the owner and his family.

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 49

"We will all go with you to the end of the
world, or the end of the war ! " shouted the old
sheet-anchor man, who was the spokesman of the
crew when they had any thing to say. " If any
man offers to leave " —

" He shall go with my best wishes," interposed
Captain Passford. "None of that, Boxie; you
have heard what I said, and I mean every word of
it. There shall be no persuasion or intimidation."

" Beg pardon, Captain Passford ; but there isn't
a man here that would go to the mainmast if he
knew that the forecastle would drop out from
under him, and let him down into Davy Jones's
locker the next minute if he staid here," responded
Boxie, with a complaisant grin on his face, as if
he was entirely conscious that he knew what he
was talking about.

" Every man must act on his own free will,"
added the owner.

" That's just what we are all doing, your honor ;
and every one of us would rather go than have
his wages doubled. If any dumper here has a
free will to go to the mainmast, he'd better put
his head in soak, and " —

" Avast heaving, Boxie ! " interposed the owner,

50 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

smiling in spite of himself at the earnestness of
the old sailor.

" I hain't got a word more to say, your honor ;
only"-

" Only nothing, Boxie ! I see that not one of
you is inclined to leave the vessel, and I appreciate
in the highest degree this devotion on your part
to me and my family. I have some writing to do
now ; and, while I am engaged upon it, Mr. Watts
shall take the name and residence of every man
on board. I shall give this list to my wife, and
charge her to see that those dependent upon you
need nothing in your absence. She will visit the
friends of every one of you, if she has to go live
hundred miles to do so. I have nothing more to
say at present."

The men cheered lustily for the owner, and
then separated, as the captain went aft to draw up
his papers to send on shore by Mrs. Passford. He
was followed by Captain Breaker, while little
groups formed in various parts of the deck to
discuss the situation.

"I intended to have some talk with you, Breaker,
before I said any thing to the ship's company ; but,
you know, it is very seldom that I ever say any

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 51

thing directly to them," said Captain Passford, as
the commander came up with him.

" This was an extraordinary occasion ; and I am
very glad that you did the business directly,
instead of committing it to me," replied Captain
Breaker ; " and I have not the slightest objection
to make. But I have a word to say in regard to
myself personally. As you are aware, I was
formerly an officer of the navy, with the rank of
lieutenant. I wish to apply to the department to
be restored to my former rank, or to any rank
which will enable me to serve my country the
most acceptably. I hope my purpose will not
interfere with your enterprise."

" Not at all, I think, except in the matter of
some delay. I shall tender the Bellevite as a free
gift to the Government in a letter I shall send on
shore by my wife," replied Captain Passford.
" But I shall offer to do this only on my return
from a trip I feel obliged to make in her. I shall
also offer my own services in any capacity in
which I can be useful ; though, as I am not a naval
officer like yourself, I cannot expect a prominent
position."

" Your ability fits you for almost any position ;

52 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and, after a little study of merely routine matters,
you will be competent for almost any command,"
added Captain Breaker.

" I do not expect that, and I am willing to do
my duty in a humble position," said the owner.
" All that I am and all that I have shall be for
my country's use."

" I knew very well where we should find you if
the troubles ended in a war."

" My present enterprise will be rather irregular,
as I have already said ; but the delay it would
cause alone prevents me from giving the vessel to
the Government at once."

"As a man-of-war, the Bellevite could not be
used for the purpose you have in mind. The
plan you have chosen is the only practicable
one."

"Very well, Breaker. You had better pass
the word through the ship's company that the
Bellevite will sail in an hour or two, — as soon as
I can finish my business ; and if officer or seaman
wishes to leave the vessel, let him do so," added
the owner, as he moved towards the companion-
way.

"Not one of them will leave her under any

THE FIKST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 53

circumstances," replied the commander, as he
went forward.

The word was passed, as suggested by the
owner, and the result was to set the greater part
of the officers and men to writing letters for their
friends, to be sent on shore by the tug ; but the
captain warned them not to say a word in regard
to the destination of the steamer.

In another hour Captain Passford had com-
pleted his letters and papers, including letters to
the Secretary of the Navy, a power of attorney
to his wife which placed his entire fortune at her
command, and other documents which the hurried
movements of the writer rendered necessary.

The owner and his son bade adieu to the wife
and mother in the cabin ; and it is not necessary to
penetrate the sacred privacy of such an occasion,
for it was a tender, sad, and trying ordeal to all of
them.

All the letters were gathered together and com-
mitted to the care of the lady as she went over
the side to leave the floating home in which she
had lived for several months, for the family did
not often desert their palatial cabin for the poorer
accommodations of a hotel on shore.

54 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

The pilot departed in the tug, and he was no
wiser than when he came on board in regard to
the intentions of the owner of the steam-yacht.
There was an abundant supply of coal and pro-
visions on board, for the vessel was hardly three
clays from Bermuda when she came up with Sandy
Hook ; and the commander gave the order to
weigh anchor as soon as the tug cast off her fasts.

" I suppose we are bound somewhere, Captain
Passford," said Captain Breaker, as soon as the
vessel was fully under way. " But you have not
yet indicated to me our destination."

" Bermuda. The fact is that I have been so
absorbed in the tremendous news that came to us
with the pilot, that I have not yet come to my
bearings," replied the owner with a smile. " My
first duty now will be to discuss our future move-
ments with you ; and when you have given out
the course, we will attend to that matter."

Captain Breaker called Mr. Joel Dashington,
the first officer, to him, and gave him the course
of the ship, as indicated by the owner. He was
six feet and one inch in height, and as thin as a
rail ; but he was a very wiry man, and it was said
that he could stand more hunger, thirst, exposure,

THE FIKST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 55

and hardship than any other living man. He was
a gentleman in his manners, and had formerly
been in command of a ship in the employ of
Captain Passford. He was not quite fifty years
old, and he had seen service in all parts of the
world, and in his younger days had been a master's
mate in the navy.

The second officer was superintending the crew
as they put things to rights for the voyage. His
person was in striking contrast with his superior
officer ; for he weighed over two hundred pounds,
and looked as though he were better fitted for
the occupancy of an alderman's chair than for a
position on the deck of a sea-going vessel. He
was under forty years of age, but he had also
been in command of a bark in the employ of
his present owner.

" Of course we cannot undertake the difficult
enterprise before us, Breaker, without an arma-
ment of some sort," said Captain Passford, as
they halted at the companionway.

" I should say not, and I was wondering how
you intended to manage in this matter," replied
the commander.

"I will tell you, for our first mission renders

56 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

it necessary to give some further orders before
we go below," continued the owner. " We have
not a day or an hour to waste."

" The sooner we get at the main object of the
expedition, the better will be our chances of
success."

"You remember that English brig which was
wrecked on Mills Breaker, while we were at
Hamilton ? "

" Very well indeed ; and she was said to be
loaded with a cargo of improved guns, with the
ammunition for them, which some enterprising
Britisher had brought over on speculation, for
the use of the Confederate army and navy, —
if they ever have any navy," added Captain
Breaker.

" That is precisely the cargo to which I allude.
The brig had a hole in her bottom, but only a
part of her was under water. The officers of the
vessel were confident that the entire cargo would
be saved, with not much of it in a damaged
condition," added the owner.

" There has been no violent storm since we
left St. George, hardly three days ago," said the
commander.

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE 57

"I wish to obtain as much of this cargo as
will be necessary to arm the Bellevite properly
for the expedition ; and I have a double object
in obtaining it, even if I have to throw half of
it into the Atlantic Ocean."

" The fact that we need the guns and ammu-
nition is reason enough for trying to obtain the
cargo."

" But I have the additional inducement of
keeping it out of the hands of the enemy, so
that the guns shall be turned against the foes
of the Union instead of its friends. We must
make a quick passage, so that, if we lose this
opportunity, it will not be our fault."

" I understand. Pass the word for Mr. Vapoor,"
added the commander to a quartermaster who was
taking in the ensign at the peak.

Mr. Vapoor was the chief engineer ; though
he was the youngest officer on board, and really
looked younger than Christy Passford.

58 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER V

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD OF HER

Paul Vapoor was a genius, and that accounted
for his position as chief engineer at the age of
twenty-two. He was born a machinist, and his
taste in that direction had made him a very hard
student. His days and a large portion of his
nights, while in his teens, had been spent in
studying physics, chemistry, and, in fact, all the
sciences which had any bearing upon the life-
work which nature rather than choice had given
him to doo

His father had been in easy circumstances
formerly, so that there had been nothing to
interfere with his studies before he was of age.
Up to this period, he had spent much of his
time in a large machine-shop, working for nothing
as though his daily bread depended upon his
exertions ; and he was better qualified to run an

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD 59

engine than most men who had served for years
at the business, for he was a natural scientist.

There was scarcely a part of an engine at
which he had not worked with his own hands
as a volunteer, and he was as skilful with his
hands as he was deep with his head. Paul's
father was an intimate friend of Captain Passford ;
and when a sudden reverse of fortune swept
away all the former had, the latter gave the
prodigy a place as assistant engineer on board of
his steam-yacht, from which, at the death of the
former incumbent of the position, he had been
promoted to the head of the department. While
his talent and ability were of the highest order,
of course his rapid promotion was due to the
favor of the owner of the Bellevite.

Captain Breaker, who had rather reluctantly
assented to the placing in charge of the engineer
department a young man of only twenty-one,
had no occasion to regret that he had yielded his
opinion to that of his owner. Paul Vapoor had
been found equal to all the requirements of the
situation, for the judgment of the young chief was
almost as marvellous as his genius.

Paul was gentle in his manners, and possessed a

60 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

very lovable disposition ; in fact, he was almost
a woman in all the tender susceptibilities of his
nature ; and those who knew him best knew not
which to admire most, his genius or his magnetic
character. Mr. Leon Bolter, the first assistant
engineer, was thirty-six years old ; and Mr. Fred
Faggs, the second, was twenty-six. But there was
neither envy, jealousy, nor other ill-feeling in the
soul of either in respect to his superior ; and they
recognized the God-given genius of the chief more
fully than others could, for their education enabled
them to understand it better.

Paul Vapoor and Christy Passford were fast
friends almost from the first time they met; and
they had been students together in the same
institution, though they were widely apart in
their studies. They were cronies in the strongest
sense of the word, and the chief engineer would
have given up his very life for the son of his
present employer. The owner favored this inti-
macy, for he felt that he could not find in all the
world a better moral and intellectual model for
his son.

Mr. Vapoor, as he was always called when on
duty, even by the members of the owner's family,

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD 61

in spite of the fact that he seemed to be only a
boy, appeared on the quarter-deck of the steamer
in answer to the summons of the commander. He
was neatly dressed in a suit of blue, with brass
buttons, though some of the oil and grime of the
engine defaced his uniform. He bowed, and
touched his cap to the commander, in the most
respectful manner as he presented himself before
him.

" For reasons which you will understand better,
Mr. Vapoor, at a later period, Captain Passford
is in a great hurry to reach Bermuda, where we
are bound, at the earliest possible moment," the
captain began. " Our ordinary rate of speed is
fourteen knots when we don't hurry her."

" That is what I make her do when not otherwise
instructed," replied the chief engineer.

"You assisted as a volunteer in building the
engine of the Bellevite, and you were in the
engine-room during the whole of the trial trip,
three years ago," continued Captain Breaker with
a smile on his face ; and a smile seemed to be a
necessity in the presence of the young man.

" That is all very true, captain ; and I was more
interested in this engine than I have ever been in

62 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

any other, and it has fully realized my strongest
hopes."

" What speed did you get out of her on the
trial trip ? "

" Eighteen knots ; but her machinery was new
then. The order of Captain Passford included
the requirement that the engine of the vessel
should give her the greatest speed ever produced
in a sea-going steamer, and the Bellevite was
built strong enough to bear such an engine. I
believe the company that built it fully met the
requirement."

" What do you believe to be her best speed, Mr.
Vapoor?"

" I have never had the opportunity to test it,
but I believe that she can make more than twenty
knots, possibly twenty-two. You remember that
Captain Passford was in a desperate hurry to get
from Messina to Marseilles a year ago this month,
and the Bellevite logged twenty knots during
nearly the whole of the trip," replied the engineer,
with a gentle smile of triumph on his handsome
face, for he looked upon the feat of the engine as
he would upon a noble deed of his father.

" You made her shake on that trip, Mr.
Vapoor."

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE OX BOARD 63

"Not very much, sir. All the owner's family,
including Miss Florry, were on board then , and,
if any thing had happened, I should have charged
myself with murder. I do not know what the
Bellevite could do if the occasion warranted me
in taking any risk."

" I do not wish you to be reckless on the present
emergency ; but it is of the utmost importance to
save every hour we can, and the success or failure
of the expedition may depend upon a single hour.
I will say no more, though an accident to the
engine would be a disaster to the enterprise. I
leave the matter with you, Mr. Vapoor," added
the commander, as he moved off.

" I understand you perfectly. Captain Breaker,
and there shall be no ' failure in the engine
department to meet your wishes," replied the
chief, as he touched his cap and retired to
the engine-room.

" I am waiting for you, Breaker," said Captain
Passford, who was standing near the companion-
way with Christy.

" Excuse me for a few minutes more, for
there seems to be a strong breeze coming up
from the north-east, and I want to take a look

64 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

at the situation," replied the commander, and
he hastened forward.

It had been bright sunshine when the pilot
came on board; but suddenly the wind had
veered to an ugly quarter, and had just begun
to pipe up into something like half a gale.
Captain Breaker went to the pilot-house, looked
at the barometer, and then directed Mr. Dash-
ington to crowd on all sail, for he intended to
to drive the vessel to her utmost capacity.

The Bellevite was rigged as a barkantine ; that
is, she was square-rigged on her foremast, like a
ship, while her main and mizzen masts carried
only fore-and-aft sails, including gaff-topsails. The
shrill pipe of the boatswain immediately sounded
through the vessel, and twenty-four able seamen
dashed to their stations. In a few minutes, every
rag of canvas which the steamer could carry was
set. But the commander did not wait for this
to be done, but hastened to join the owner.

"I suppose you don't want me, sir," said
Christy, as his father led the way into the
cabin.

"On the contrary, I do want you, Christy,"
replied Captain Passford, as he halted, and the

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD 65

commander passed him on his way to the cabin.
" I wish you to understand as well as I do myself
what we are going to do."

" I shall be very glad to know more about it,"
added Christy, pleased with the confidence his
father reposed in him in connection with the
serious undertaking before him.

" In the work I have to do, you stand nearer to
me than any other person on board," continued
Captain Passford. "I know what you are, and
you are older than your sixteen years make you.
It was at your age that Charles XII. took
command of the armies of Sweden, and he was
more than a figure-head in his forces."

" Sometimes I feel older than I am," suggested
the boy.

" I believe in keeping a boy young as long as
possible, and I have never hurried you by putting
you in an important place, though at one time I
thought of having a third officer, and assigning
you to the position, for the practice it would give
you in real life ; but I concluded that you had
better not be driven forward."

" I think I know something about handling a
steamer, father."

66 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"I know you do; though I have never told you
so, for I did not care to have you think too much
of yourself. Now, in common witli all the rest of
us, you are hurled into the presence of mighty
events ; and in a single day from a boy you must
become a man. You are my nearest representative
on board ; and if any thing should happen to me,
in the midst of the perils of this expedition, a
responsibility would fall upon you which you
cannot understand now. I wish to prepare you
for it," said Captain Passford, as he went down
into the cabin.

The commander was already seated at the table,
waiting for the owner ; and Captain Passford and
Christy took places near him. The cabin was as
elegant and luxurious as money and taste could
make it. In the large state-room of the owner
there was every thing to make a sea-voyage
comfortable and pleasant to one who had a
liking for the ocean.

Leading from the main cabin were the state-
rooms of Florence and Christy. One of the four
others was occupied by Dr. Linscott, the surgeon
of the ship, who had had abundant experience in
his profession, who had been an army surgeon

THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD 67

in the Mexican war, though his health did not
permit him to practise on shore.

Another was occupied by the chief steward,
who was a person of no little consequence on
board; while the others were appropriated to
guests when there were any, as was often the
case when the Bellevite made short voyages.

The trio at the table began the discussion of
the subject before them without delay ; but it is
not necessaiy to enter into its details, since,
whatever plans were made, they must still be
subject to whatever contingencies were presented
when the time for action came.

Forward of the main cabin was what is called
in naval parlance the ward-room, and it was
called by this name on board of the Bellevite. In
this apartment the officers next in rank below
the commander took their meals; and from it
opened the state-rooms of the first and second
officers on the starboard-side, with one for the
chief engineer on the port-side, and another for
his two assistants next abaft it.

The commander was an old friend of the
owner, and messed with him in the main cabin,
though his state-room was a large apartment

68 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

between the cabin and the ward-room ; the space
on the opposite side of the ship being used for
the pantries and the bath-room.

Before the conference in the cabin had pro-
ceeded far, the motion of the steamer, and the
creaking of the timbers within her, indicated
that Mr. Vapoor was doing all that could be
required of him in the matter of speed, though
the pressure of canvas steadied the vessel in the
heavy sea which the increasing breeze had
suddenly produced. Before night, the wind was
blowing a full gale, and some reduction of sail
became necessary.

The Bellevite had the wind fair, and the most
that was possible was made of this accessory to
her speed. At one time she actually logged the
twenty-two knots which the chief engineer had
suggested as her limit, and inside of two days
ohe reached her destination. Christy had suddenly
become the active agent of his father, and he was
the first to be sent on shore to obtain information
in regard to the guns and ammunition, for it was
thought that he would excite less suspicion than
any other on board.

MR. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF 69

CHAPTER VI

MR. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF

Christy procured the desired information on
shore ; and being but a boy, he obtained no credit
for the head he carried on his shoulders, so that
no attention was given to him when he made
his investigation. At the proper time Captain
Passford appeared ; but, as the guns and other
war material were intended for the other side
in the conflict, he was obliged to resort to a little
strategy to obtain them.

But they were obtained, and the Bellevite was
as fully armed and prepared for an emergency as
though she had been in the employ of the
Government, as it was intended that she should
be when her present mission was accomplished.
During her stay at St. George, such changes as
were necessary to adapt the vessel to her enter-
prise— such as the fitting up of a magazine —
were completed, and the steamer sailed.

TO TAKEN BT THE ENEMY

After a quick passage, the Bellevite arrived at
New Providence, Nassau, where she put in to
obtain some needed supplies, as it was directly
on her course. Already there was not a little
activity at the principal foreign ports nearest to
the Southern States, created by the hurried opera-
tions of speculators anxious to profit by the war
that was to come ; and later these harbors were
the refuge of the blockade-runners.

The arrival of the Bellevite at New Providence
created not a little excitement among the Confed-
erate sympathizers who had hastened there to
take advantage of the maritime situation, and
to procure vessels for the use of the South in
the struggle. The steamer was painted black,
and, as she had been built after plans suggested
by her owner, she was peculiar in her construction
to some extent, and her appearance baffled the
curiosity of the active Confederate patriots and
speculators alike ; for both classes were represented
there, though not yet in large numbers.

Captain Passford had instructed the commander
to conceal all the facts in regard to her, and no
flag or any thing else which could betray her
nationality or character was allowed to be see;;.

MR. PERCY riEKSON INTRODUCES IIIM.SELF 71

The business of obtaining the needed stores
required many of the officers and men to go on
shore, but all of them were instructed to answer
no questions. No one was allowed to come on
board.

" Good-morning, my friend," said a young man
to Christy, as he landed on the day after the
arrival.

" Good-morning," replied the owner's son, civilly
enough, as he looked over the person addressing
him, who appeared to be a young man not more
than eighteen years old.

" What steamer is that?" continued the stranger,
pointing to the steam-yacht.

Christy looked at his interlocutor, who was a
pleasant-looking young man, though there was
something which did not appear to be quite
natural in his expression ; and he suspected that
he had been placed at the landing to interrogate
him or some other person from the steamer, in
regard to her character and nationality. Possibly
he derived this idea from the fact that he had
himself been employed on a similar duty at St.
George.

" Do you mean that schooner ? " asked Christy

72 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

carelessly, as he pointed at a vessel much nearer
the shore than the Bellevite.

" No, not at all," replied the stranger. " I mean
that steamer, off to the north-east," replied the
young man, pointing out into the bay.

"North-east?" added the owner's son. "That
is this way ; " and he turned about, and directed
his finger towards the interior of the island.
" That would put the craft you mean on the shore,
wouldn't it ? "

" Not a bit of it ! I don't mean that way.
Don't you know the points of the compass ? "

" I learned them when I was young, but I forget
them now."

" Pray how old are you, my friend ? '' asked the
stranger, who thought his companion was stupid
enough to answer any question he might put to
him.

" I was forty-two yesterday ; and in a year from
yesterday, I shall be forty-three, if I don't die of
old age before that time," replied Christy, looking
the other full in the face, and with as serious an
expression as he could command.

"Forty-two! You are chaffing me. Didn't
you come from that steamer over there ? " de-

MR. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF 73

manded the young man, pointing at the Bellevite
again.

" No, sir. I came from China, from a place
they call Shensibangerwhang. Were you ever
there ? "

" I never was there, and I question if you were
ever there."

" Do you mean to question my veracity ? "
demanded Christy, knitting his brow.

" Oh, no, not at all ! "

" Very well ; and when you go to Shensibanger-
whang, I shall be glad to see you ; and then I will
endeavor to answer all the questions you desire to
ask."

"I thought you came from that steamer over
there."

"Thought made a world, but it wasn't your
thought that did it."

" Of course you know the name of that
steamer."

" Oh, now I think of her name ! That is the
Chicherwitherwing, and she belongs to the Chinese
navy. She is sent out on a voyage of discovery
to find the north pole, which she expects to reach
here in the West Indies. When she finds it, I

74 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

will let you know by mail, if you will give me
your address," rattled Christy with abundant
self-possession.

" No, no, now ! You are chaffing me."

"Do you know, brother mortal of mine, that I
suspect you are a Yankee ; for they say they live
on baked beans, and earn the money to buy the
pork for them by asking questions."

" I am not a Yankee ; I am a long way from
that."

" Then perhaps you sympathize with the meri-
donial section of the nation on the other side of
the Gulf Stream."

"Which section?" asked the stranger, looking
a little puzzled.

"The meridonial section."

" Which is that ? I don't know which meridian
you mean."

" I mean no meridian. Perhaps the word is a
little irregular ; I studied French when I was in
the Bangerwhangerlang College in China, and I
am sometimes apt to get that language mixed up
with some other. Let me see, we were speaking
just now, were we not?"

" I was."

MR. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF 75

" Sometimes I can't speak any English, and I
had forgotten about it. If you prefer to carry on
this conversation in Hebrew or Hindostanee, I
shall not object," added Christy gravely.

" I think I can do better with English."

"Have your own way about it; but 'meridonial'
in French means ' southern,' if you will excuse mo
for making the suo-o-estion."

"Then I am meridonial," replied the stranger,
and he seemed to make the admission under the
influence of a sudden impulse.

" Your hand on that ! " promptly added Christy,
extending his own.

"All right!" exclaimed the other. " My name
is Percy Pierson. What is yours?"

" Percy Pierson ! " exclaimed Christy, starting
back with astonishment, as though his companion
had fired a pistol in his face.

" What is the matter now ? " demanded Percy
Pierson, surprised at the demonstration of the other.

" What did you say your name was ? Did I
understand you aright? "

"I said my name was Percy Pierson. Is there
any thing surprising about that ? " asked Percy,
puzzled at the demeanor of Christy.

76 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" See here, my jolly highflyer, who told you my
name ? " demanded the son of the owner of the
Bellevite, with a certain amount of indignation
in his manner.

" You did not, to be sure, though I asked you
what it was."

" What sort of a game are you trying to play
off on me ? I am an innocent young fellow of
sixteen, and I don't like to have others playing
tricks on me. Who told you my name, if you
please ? "

" No one told me your name ; and I don't
know yet what it is, though I have asked it of
you." *

" Oh, get away with you ! You are playing off
something on me which I don't understand, and
I think I had better bid you good-morning,"
added Christy, as he started to move off.

" Then you won't tell me your name. Stay a
minute."

" You know my name as well as I do, and you
are up to some trick with me," protested Christy,
halting.

" Ton my honor as a Southern gentleman, I
don't know your name."

ME. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF 77

"If you are a Southern gentleman, I must
believe you, for I did not come from as far north
as I might have come. My name is Percy
Pierson," added Christy seriously ; for he felt that
this was actually war, and that the strategy that
does not always or often speak the truth was
justifiable.

" Percy Pierson ! " exclaimed the real owner of
the name. " Didn't I just tell you that was my
name ? "

" Undoubtedly you did, and that is the reason
why I thought you were making game of me."

" But how can that be when my name is Percy
Pierson ? "

" Give it up ; but I suggest that in London,
where I came from, there are acres of King
Streets, almost as many Queens ; and, though you
may not be aware of the fact, there are seven
thousand two hundred and twenty-seven native
and foreign born citizens of the name of John
Smith. Possibly you and I are the only two
Percy Piersons in the country, or in the world."

" Now you say you are from London, and a
little while ago you said you were from farther
north than I am. Which is it?"

78 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" Isn't London farther north than any Southern
State ? "

" Enough of this," continued Percy impatiently.

" Quite enough of it," assented Christy.

" Will you tell me what steamer that is, where
she is bound, and what she is here for ? "

" My dear Mr. Pierson, it would take me forty-
eight hours to tell you all that," replied the
representative of the Bellevite, taking out his
watch. " If you will meet me here to-morrow
night at sundown, I will make a beginning of the
yarn, and I think I can finish it in two days.
But really jou must excuse me now ; for I have
to dine with the Chinese admiral at noon, and I
must go at once."

" I can put the owner of that craft in the way
of making a fortune for himself, if he is willing to
part with her," added Percy, as his companion
began to move off.

" That is just what the owner of that steamer
wants to do : he desires to part with her, and he
is determined to get rid of her. I have the
means of knowing that he will let her go just as
soon as he can possibly get rid of her."

" Then he is the man my father wants to see ;

MK. PERCY PIERSON INTRODUCES HIMSELF 79

that is, if the vessel is what she appears to be, for
no one is allowed to go on board of her."

" I am sorry to tear myself away from you, but
positively I must go now ; for the Chinese admiral
will get very impatient if I am not on time, and
I have some important business with him before
dinner," said Christy, as he increased his pace and
got away from Mr. Percy Pierson, though he was
afraid he would follow him.

But he did not ; instead of doing so, he began
to talk with a boatman who had some kind of a
craft at the landing. Christy was not in so much
of a hurry as he had appeared to be, and he
waited in the vicinity till he saw his ' Southern
friend embark in a boat which headed for the
Bellevite. He concluded that his communicative
friend meant to go on board of her, thinking the
vessel was for sale.

80 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER VII

A COMPLICATION AT GLENFIELD

The boat in which Christy had come on shore
carried off to the steamer the last load of supplies,
and she sailed in the middle of the afternoon.
Captain Passford and Christy were standing on
the quarter deck together ; and, as the latter had
not had time to tell his father his adventure
before, he was now relating it.

The captain was amused with the story, and
told his son that he had been approached by a
gentleman who said his name was Pierson, and
he was probably the father of the enterprising-
young man who had been so zealous to assist in
the purchase of a suitable vessel for the service
of the Confederates.

" Let me alone ! Take you hands off of me ! "
shouted a voice that sounded rather familiar to
Christy, as he and his father were still talking

"Let Me alone, I AM a Southern Gentleman " (Page 81)

A COMPLICATION" AT GLENFIELD 81

on the deck. " Let me alone ! I am a Southern
gentleman ! "

" I know you are," replied Mr. Dashington,
as he appeared on deck, coming up from the
companionway that led to the cabin and ward-
room, holding by the collar a young man who
was struggling to escape from his strong grasp.
" Don't make a fuss, my hearty : I want to
introduce you to the captain."

" What have you got there, Mr. Dashington ? "
asked Captain Breaker, who was standing near
the owner.

" I have got a young cub who says he is
a Southern gentleman ; and I suppose he is,"
replied the first officer. " But he is a stowaway,
and was hid away under my berth in the ward-
room. — Here you are, my jolly frisker : and that
gentleman is the captain of the steamer."

As he spoke, the officer set his victim down
rather heavily on the deck, and he sprawled
out at full length on the planks. But he was
sputtering with rage at the treatment he had
received; and he sprang to his feet, rushing
towards Mr. Dashington as though he intended
to annihilate him. But, before he reached hits

82 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

intended victim, he stopped short, and eyed the
tall and wiry first officer from head to foot.

He concluded not to execute his purpose upon
him, for he could hardly have reached his chin if
he resorted to violence. But he turned his back
to the captain, so that the owner and his son did
not get a look at his face. Captain Breaker
walked up to him and began to question him.

" If you are a Southern gentleman, as I heard
you say you were, don't you think it is a little
irregular to be hid in the ward-room of this
vessel?" was the first question the commander
asked.

"I am what I said I was, and I am proud to
say it ; and I don't allow any man to put his
hands on me," blustered the prisoner.

" But I think you did allow Mr. Dashington
to put his hands on you," replied the captain.

" Of course I did not know that he was a
Southern gentleman when I snaked him out from
under the berth," added the first officer.

" I accept your apology," said the prisoner,
coming down from his high horse with sudden
energy ; possibly because he felt that he had a
mission on board of the steamer.

A COMPLICATION AT GLENFIELD 83

All present laughed heartily at the apology of
the giant mate, and Christy changed his position
so that he could see the front of the stowaway.

" Why, that is the gentleman I met on shore, —
Mr. Percy Pierson ! " exclaimed the owner's son,
as soon as he saw the face of his late companion
at the landing.

"I am glad to see you again, Mr. Percy
Pierson," said the original of that name, as he
extended his hand to Christy.

" I did not expect to meet you again so soon,
and under such circumstances," replied he, taking
the offered hand; for his father had proclaimed
his own principle on board, that, though the war
was not to be conducted on peace principles, it
was to be carried on in an enlightened, and even
gentlemanly manner, so far as he was concerned.

" I am right glad to see you, Mr. Percy Pierson,
for I think you can assist me in the object I have
in view," said the first officer's victim, looking now
as though he was entirely satisfied with himself.

" What do you mean by calling each other by
the same name ? " inquired Captain Breaker,
somewhat astonished at this phase of the conver-
sation.

84 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" That is the most astonishing thing in the
world, that my friend here should have the same
name I have ; and he even thought I was playing
a game upon him when I told him what my name
was," replied Percy, laughing, and apparently
somewhat inflated to find a friend on board.

" Precisely so," interposed Captain Passford,
before the commander had time to say any thing
more about the name. " But, as you both have
the same name, it will be necessary to distinguish
you in some manner, or it may make confusion
while you remain on board."

" I see the point, sir, though I do not expect to
remain on board for any great length of time ; or
possibly you may not," answered Percy.

"Then, I suggest that you be called simply
Percy, for that is a noble name ; and the other
young man shall be addressed as Pierson. By
doing this we shall not sacrifice either of you,"
continued the owner, who did not understand
what his son had been doing.

" I have not the slightest objection. My friend
Pierson gave me some information in regard to
this steamer which made me very desirous to get
on board of her. That must explain why I was

A COMPLICATION AT GLENFIELD 85

found here under circumstances somewhat irregu-
lar, though a true gentleman can sacrifice himself
to the needs of his suffering country."

" To what country do you allude, Mr. Percy ? "
asked Captain Passford.

" To our country," replied Percy with strong
and significant emphasis, as though he were sure
that this would cause him to be fully understood.

" Exactly so," added the owner.

"But I see that you are sailing away from
Nassau as fast as you can, and I think I had
better explain my business as soon as possible,"
continued Percy, who seemed to be as confident as
though he had already accomplished his purpose
as hinted at in his conversation with Christy.

" I shall have to ask jow. to excuse me for a few
minutes, for I have a little business with the
captain of the steamer and this young man," said
Captain Passford. " The tall gentleman who so
gracefully apologized for his seeming rudeness to
you will entertain you while I am absent."

The owner presented the tall first officer by
name to his late victim, and at the same time gave
him a look which Mr. Dashington understood to
the effect that he was to keep the young man

86 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

where he was. With a signal to his son and to
the captain, he went below.

"I do not understand this masquerade, Christy,"
said he, as he seated himself at the cabin table.
" What have you been telling this young fellow ? "

Christy had only informed his father that he
had been approached by Percy, and that he had,
as well as he could, evaded his questions, and he
had fooled the young man. He then gave the
substance of the conversation at the landing,
which amused both the owner and the com-
mander very much; though he could not recall
the Chinese names, invented on the spot, which
he had used.

"All right, Christy. This young man is evi-
dently the son of the gentleman by the name
of Pierson who approached me for the purpose of
purchasing the Bellevite. I went so far as to tell
him that the vessel was for service in Southern
waters. At any rate, he inferred that she was
intended for the navy of the Confederate States,
and I did not think it necessary to undeceive him.
With this belief, he sought no further to buy the
vessel, and I bad no difficulty in shaking him off.
It seems that the same mission absorbs the atten-

A COMPLICATION AT GLENFIELU 87

tion of the son, and that he has come on board to
purchase the steamer."

" I told him that you wanted to get rid of her,
and that you would do so soon, by which, of
course, I meant that she was to go into the service
of the Government," added Christy.

"I should not have taken this young man on
board ; but, as he is here, he may be of use to us.
But it is necessary to conceal from him the real
character of the Bellevite, and we will keep up
the farce as long as we please. So far as he is
concerned, Christy, you may be my nephew
instead of my son."

Captain Passford led the way back to the deck,
where they found the first officer evidently on
the best of terms with his prisoner. But Mr.
Dashington had been as discreet as a man could
be, and Percy had not obtained a particle of
information from him.

" Now, Mr. Percy, I am at your service,"
said the owner, when he reached the deck. " I
think you said you had some business with
me.

" I have not the pleasure of knowing who or
what you are, sir ; and Mr. Dashington and my

88 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

friend Mr. Pierson are all I know on board by
name," added Percy.

"Then you must be made better acquainted
before any thing can be done," replied the owner,
pointing to the captain of the steamer. " Mr.
Percy, this is Captain Breaker, the commander
of the steamer."

" And this," added Captain Breaker, pointing
it the owner, "is Captain Passford, who is the
fortunate owner of this vessel, though she is soon
to pass into other hands."

" Captain Passford ! " exclaimed Percy, bowing
to both gentlemen as he was presented to them.
" That is a familiar name to me ; and upon
my word, I thought it was Colonel Passford of
Glenfield when I first looked at him."

" He is my brother ; but I never heard him
called ' colonel ' before," added the owner,
laughing at the odd-sounding title, as it was
to him.

" Colonel Homer Passford is the name by which
he is often called near his residence," Percy
explained. " He is the nearest neighbor of my
father, Colonel Richard Pierson."

" Indeed ! then you probably know my brother,"

A COMPLICATION AT GLENFIELD 89

said Captain Passford, interested in spite of
himself.

" As well as I know any gentleman in the State
of Alabama," replied Percy. " By the great
palmetto ! you are Colonel Passford's brother ;
and I think 3^011 must know Miss Florence
Passford, who has been staying all winter with
her uncle."

"She is my daughter," replied the owner with
some emotion, which he could not wholly conceal
when he thought of his mission in the South.

" I have met her several times, though not
often, for I have been away from home at school.
But my brother, Major Lindley Pierson, I learn
from my letters, is a frequent visitor at your
brother's house ; and they even say " —

But Percy did not repeat what they said,
though he had gone far enough to give the father
of Florry something like a shock.

" What were you about to say, Mr. Percy ? "
he asked.

" I think I had better not say it, for it may
have been a mere idle rumor," answered Percy,
who was now beginning to disclose some of his
better traits of character.

90 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" Does it relate to my daughter, sir ? " asked
the captain rather sternly ; for, in the present
condition of the country, he was more than
ordinarily anxious about his daughter.

" I ought not to have said any thing, sir ; but
what I was about to say, but did not say, does
relate to Miss Florence," replied Percy, not a little
embarrassed by the situation. " But I assure you,
sir, that it was nothing that reflects in the slightest
degree upon her. As I have said so much, I may
as well say the rest of it, or you will think more
than was intended was meant."

" That is the proper view to take of it, Mr.
Percy."

"It was simply said that my brother Lindley
was strongly attracted to your brother's house
by the presence of your daughter. That is all."

But the fond father was very anxious. Of
course the major was a Confederate.

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS 91

CHAPTER VIII

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS

The information in regard to Florry was
very meagre and very indefinite. She was a very
beautiful young lady of eighteen ; and it was not
at all strange that a young Confederate officer
should be attracted to her, though the thought
of it was exceedingly disagreeable to her father,
under present circumstances.

Percy evidently was not satisfied with the
situation ; and after he had given the information
which had so disturbed the owner of the steamer,
he desired to change the subject of the conversa-
tion, to which Captain Passford only assented
after he realized that nothing could be ascertained
from him in regard to his daughter.

" I don't think I quite understand the situation
on board of this steamer," said Percy, when he
had told all he knew about the visits of his
brother at Glenfield.

92 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"What further do you desire to know in
regard to her ? " asked Captain Passford ; for the
commander, when he saw that there was a family
matter involved in the conversation, was disposed
to be very reticent.

" I did not come on board of this vessel in the
manner I did — I do not even know her name
yet," continued Percy; and when he found that
he was talking to a brother of Colonel Passford, he
dropped all his rather magnificent airs, and became
quite sensible.

" The steamer is called the Bellevite," replied
the owner.

" The Bellevite. It is an odd name, but I think
I can remember it. I was about to say that I did
not come on board of her, as I did, without an
object ; for I assure you that I am high-toned
enough not to do any thing in an irregular manner
unless for the most weighty reasons," said Percy,
with an anxious look directed towards the island,
which was now almost out of sight.

"I do not ask your reasons; but, if -you wish to
give them, I will hear all you have to say, Mr.
Percy," replied the owner.

"I talked with Mr. Pierson on shore; and

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS 93

though he was disposed at first to chaff me, and
avoid giving me any information in regard to this
steamer, he afterwards informed me that the
gentleman who owned her intended to get rid of
her as soon as he could."

"And you came on board for the purpose of
buying her ? " suggested Captain Passford.

" I did not expect to buy her myself, of course ;
but my father is exceedingly anxious to obtain a
steamer like this one, and he asked me to do what
I could to obtain any information in regard to
her. That was the object which brought me on
board of her in a clandestine manner."

" You were very zealous in meeting the wishes
of your father."

" More than that, I was at work in a good cause ;
and I think I have patriotism enough to do my
duty to my country in the hour of her need,"
added the young man, with a swell of the chest.

"After his family, a man's first duty is to his
country," said the owner.

"I wanted to go. into the army, for I am eighteen
years old ; but my father insisted that I could be
of more service to the Confederacy as his assistant
in obtaining vessels for its use."

94 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I understand your motives."

" From what 1 learned from Mr. Pierson, —
though I do not yet know who or what he is,"
said Percy, bestowing a smiling glance upon
Christy.

" You may look upon him as my nephew,"
added Captain Passford, glancing at his son, who
gave a slight bow for the benefit of the guest on
board.

" From what I could learn from your nephew,
sir, I concluded that this steamer could be bought,
if I could only obtain an interview with the
owner," continued Percy, with an inquiring glance
at all who were present. " I understand you are
the owner of the vessel, Captain Passford."

" You are quite right : she has been my yacht
since she was built, and a stronger and more able
vessel was never put into the water."

" Mr. Pierson gave me to understand that he
was in sympathy with the Confederacy ; and since
I came on board, and learned that you were a
brother of our nearest neighbor, I have no diffi-
culty in arriving at the conclusion that you are 'a
devoted friend of the Southern cause."

" What I am, for the present, I do not feel at

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS 95

liberty to say," replied Captain Passford, who
was certainly reluctant to play a double part
before the young man, though he felt that the
necessities of the occasion required him to do
so.

" Quite right, sir ; one cannot be too cautious in
these times. But it is time for me to say that I
did not intend to take passage in the Bellevite,
and I am sure my father will be very anxious in
my absence."

"May I ask how you did intend to proceed?"

" I can hardly tell myself, sir ; but my object
was to see the owner as soon as I could discover
who he was. But I have found you now, Captain
Passford, and I am glad to find in you a friend of
our holy cause."

The owner only bowed ; and it was as true as it
could be that the representative of the intended
purchaser of vessels jumped at nearly all of his
conclusions, giving the captain but little occasion
to say any thing that was not literally true ; though
the deception was just as real as though it had
been carried on with actual falsehood.

" May I ask you for a few minutes in private,
Captain Passford?" continued Percy.

96 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY.

"Certainly;" and the owner retired with him
to the weather-rail.

" I have seen this vessel, and I have heard what
you say of her. Now I am better informed in
regard to her than my father is. I am not author-
ized to name a price, but I am very sure that he
will buy her."

" So he said to me himself, Mr. Percy," added
the owner with a smile.

" He said so to you, sir ! " exclaimed the young
man, starting back; for he believed that he had
accomplished all that had been done towards
buying the vessel.

** I had an interview with him, and stated most
explicitly that the Bellevite could not be purchased
by any person at any price ; and when I hinted
very guardedly to him, as I do to you, in the
strictest confidence, that I am bound for Mobile
Bay, he did not urge the matter. He was satisfied
that the steamer was to be used in a good cause ;
and I can give you the same assurance, Mr.
Percy."

The young man looked positively humble after
he had listened to the remark of the owner, for
he felt that his father had " taken all the wind out

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS 97

of his sails." He looked in the direction of the
receding island of Nassau, and realized that he
had been wasting his time, to say nothing of the
wasted strategy he had bestowed on his enterprise.

" You have stated that you are bound for
Mobile Bay, sir," said he. " That is a long
distance from New Providence, as I have learned
from experience."

" But this trip will give you the satisfaction of
being restored to your own home in a very short
time, for there is no faster vessel afloat than the
Bellevite," added Captain Passford.

" It will put me into the army," said Mr. Percy ;
but he felt at once that he had made a slip of the
tongue, and he hastened to correct the effect of
his involuntary speech. " Of course, T wanted to
go into the army of my country, as every patriotic
fellow in the South does ; but my father objects
simply because I can be of more service to the
good cause in another field of action, and I had
to yield the point."

The owner thought he had not been guilty of a
very savage yielding of his own inclination, but
he said nothing. He was evidently the youngest
child of the family, and doubtless the pet of his

98 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

parents; and it was hard for them to put him in a
position to be shot, or to endure the hardships of
the camp.

" I see now that my mission is a failure, though
with no detriment to the good cause. I wish I
was in New Providence again," continued Mr.
Percy, looking very much discontented with
himself.

" I am sorry you did not speak to me on shore
as your father did, and that would have saved you
from all annoyance."

" But I must beg you to do me the favor to put
me ashore again, for my father will suffer untold
agonies when he misses me to-night."

" Put you on shore ! " exclaimed Captain Pass-
ford. " You are a sensible and reasonable young
gentleman, and you will readily see that this is
quite impossible."

" We have not been out above two hours, sir,"
suggested Percy.

" But we have made thirty-six miles, at least, in
that time ; and to return would delay me about
four or five hours, — long enough, perhaps, to
defeat the object of my voyage. I assure you that
it is wholly impossible for us to return."

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASER OF VESSELS 99

" Do you think so, sir ? " asked the enterprising
purchaser of vessels, looking very disconsolate
indeed.

"I not only think so, but I am perfectly sure
on this point. You can see for yourself that I
cannot sacrifice the object of my voyage — for the
vessel has a special mission at her destination — by
a delay of some hours. I am not responsible for
your being on board, and I am sorry that I cannot
do any thing for you."

" But you can put me ashore at Key West, and
1 may find some vessel bound to Nassau," sug-
gested Percy, becoming more and more disconso-
late, as he realized the difficulties of his situation,
for he was plainly very much averse to returning
to his home.

" But, my dear Mr. Percy, the Bellevite will
not go within fifty miles of Key West ; and if she
did, I should not dare to put in there, for the port
is a naval station of the United States, and my
vessel might be taken from me in the absence of
any regular papers to explain her character."
. "I suppose you are right," added Percy gloomily.

Captain Passford was really more afraid of fall-
ing in with any naval vessel of the nation than of

100 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

meeting any of the Confederate tugs or other
vessels which had been hurriedly fitted out, even
at this early period of the war ; for he knew that
his mission, however justifiable under the circum-
stances, was quite irregular. He had decided to
keep at least fifty miles from Key West, and the
usual course of vessels bound into the Gulf of
Mexico.

" We may meet some vessel, and you could put
me on board of her," the disconsolate young man
proposed.

" My mission compels me to give every vessel
a wide berth, and I can incur no risks. But it
cannot be a great hardship for you to be conveyed
back to your own home."

" But my father needs me with him, and he
will suffer terrible anxiety when he fails to find
me. He will even think I am dead."

" I know he must be anxious, but I think some
way will be found to send a letter to him."

" But I shall be compelled to go into the army,
and my father is utterly opposed to that."

" But you have a brother who is a major in the
army, and I should say that he will be able to
save you."

A DISCONSOLATE PURCHASE R OF VESSELS 101

" My brother is the one who insists that I shall
go into one of the regiments forming in the State.
He called me a coward because I yielded to my
father and mother."

" All that is your own family affair, and I am
sorry that I can do nothing for you, Mr. Percy. —
Mr. Watts," he called to the chief steward, who
was planking the lee-side of the deck.

" Here, sir," replied the official.

" Give Mr. Percy the best stateroom available,
and see that he is made as comfortable and happy
as possible," added the owner.

The involuntary guest on board was conducted
to the cabin.

102 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER IX

CHRISTY MATURES A PROMISING SCHEME

However interesting the voyage of the Belle-
vite might prove to be, the purpose of this story
does not admit of its details. Mr. Vapoor was
instructed to the effect that a quick run was
desirable, and he governed himself accordingly.
At daylight on a bright May morning, the lofty
light tower of Sand Island, off the entrance to
Mobile Bay, was reported by the lookout, and the
captain was called.

On the passage from Nassau, the guns of the
steamer had been mounted ; for, as a measure of
prudence, they had been put in the hold. Though
the owner hoped to avoid any close scrutiny of
his outfit, and had succeeded in doing so, he was
not inclined to tempt fate by any carelessness.
But when the first watch was called, the night

CHRISTY MATURES A SCHEME 103

before her arrival off the bay, every thing was in
condition for active service.

Captain Passford had not a particle of the foam
generated by the excitement of the times, and he
sincerely hoped he should have no occasion to use
the guns which it had cost him so much trouble
to procure. Fort Morgan was on one side of the
entrance to the bay, and Fort Gaines on the other
side.

He had seen a paragraph in one of his papers,
to the effect that one or both of these works
had been garrisoned by Confederate troops, and
it was not likely to be an easy matter to get
into the bay. As it looked to the owner and
the commander, the only way to accomplish this
feat was by running the gauntlet of both forts,
which were just three nautical miles apart.

A shot from either of them might go through
the boiler or engine of the Bellevite, which would
render her utterly helpless, and subject all on
board to the fate of prisoners-of-war. It looked
like a terrible alternative to the owner, so over-
burdened with anxiety for the safety of his
daughter ; but he was prepared to run even this
risk for her sake.

104 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

The method of getting into the bay had been
fully considered by the owner and the captain ;
and as soon as the latter came on deck, he ordered
the course of the vessel to be changed to the
westward, as they had decided to enter the b;iy
by the Middle Channel. For the danger from
Fort Gaines was believed to be less than that from
Fort Morgan, though either of them doubtless
had the means of sinking the steamer with a
single shot.

The water was shoal in the Middle Channel,
and it was not prudent to attempt to go into the
bay at any other time than high tide ; though
Captain Breaker was thoroughly acquainted with
the channel, having once been engaged in a
survey of the shifting shoals in this locality, and
he had once before taken the Bellevite by this
passage on a trip to New Orleans.

As he could not foresee the time of the
steamer's arrival off the bay, he was obliged to
consult his almanac, and make his calculations in
regard to the tide, which rises and falls less than
three feet at this point. It would not be safe to
attempt the passage before nine o'clock in the fore-
noon, and he headed the vessel away from the land.

CHRISTY MATURES A SCHEME 105

Percy had tried to make the best of his
situation, annoying as it was ; and Christy
amused him with more Chinese reminiscences.
Both of them came on deck at an unusually
early hour on the morning that the Sand Island
light was made out ; for there was more commo-
tion than usual on board, and even in the cabin,
where the owner and commander discussed the
situation.

" Here we are, my Chinese friend," said Percy,
as he joined Christy on deck, and made out the
tall tower in the distance. " I wish I was on
the Island of Nassau, instead of here."

"Why, Mr. Percy, this is your own, your
native land; and in China we always used to
have a warm affection for our own country,"
replied Christy.

" You didn't have to go into the army there,"
said Percy with a sigh.

" But don't you want to go into the army ? "

" Certainly I do ; that is the dearest wish of
my heart. But my father would not let me, and
what could I do ? "

"If you were bent on it, like a patriot, as you
must be, you could run away and enlist. I don't

106 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

know but I shall do that when I get back to
China."

" I don't like to do any thing to make my poor
father unhappy. I am afraid my absence now,
without his knowing where I am, or whether I
am dead or alive, will bring on a fit of sick-
ness."

" But I am sure he would be very proud of you
if you should run away and join the army."

" Perhaps he would ; but I should not feel
very proud of myself if I did a thing like that.
I am only afraid I shall meet my brother, Major
Pierson, and that he will make me go into some
regiment against the wishes of my father and
mother. He is not willing to hear a word from
either of them," replied Percy, disgusted with
the prospect before him.

" He is very patriotic," suggested Christy.

"He is altogether too patriotic for me. But
don't misunderstand me : I am really very anxious
to go into the army, and fight the enemies of my
country."

" I see that you are, and perhaps you and I
had better run away and enlist."

"My conscience would not let me do that

CHRISTY MATURES A SCHEME 107

contrary to the wishes of my parents," replied
Percy, shaking his head vigorously.

"But you may not see your brother the major;
for probably he has been ordered away with his
regiment before this time," said his companion
in comforting tones, though he was not as sincere
as he generally was.

" I am afraid I shall ; and I fear, that, in the
absence of my father, he would put me into
the ranks in spite of all I could do."

" But your mother is at home."

"Lindley don't care a rush for what she says
in this matter, for he insists that a boy of eighteen
ought not to be tied to his mother's apron-strings
when his country needs his services. I may see
my brother before we get fairly into the bay."

" Where in the world are you going to see
him before you get on shore ? " asked Christy,
becoming more interested in the conversation.

"I believe he is in command of the garrison
at Fort Gaines, though I am not sure," replied
Percy, suddenly looking more disconsolate than
ever at the prospect of meeting his patriotic
brother.

" What makes you think he is ? " asked Christy,

108 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

with the feeling that he might be on the point of
obtaining some useful information.

" They talked of sending him there before
father and I left for New Providence."

" I supposed your brother was a young fellow
like yourself."

" I believe he is twenty-six years old ; but he
has been two years in a military school in North
Carolina, and they say he is a good soldier, and
knows all about guns and forts and such things."

"Where do you think we are likely to overhaul
him?"

"I don't know much about this business; but
don't a boat have to come out from the fort and
see that this vessel is all right before she can go
into the bay?" asked Percy.

" I don't know about that. We may run into
the bay without waiting for any boat."

" Then they fire on you from the fort," suggested
the disconsolate.

"We rather expect that," added Christy quietly.

"You do?"

" Of course, a shot from the fort may blow us
out of the water ; but we can't help that, and we
must take our chances of being hit."

CHRISTY MATURES A SCHEME 109

"But that is terribly risky business, and the
whole of us may be killed before we get by
the fort."

" Of course : that may be the case ; but we have
no papers, and we have to take things as they
come."

" It isn't pleasant to take cannon-balls as they
come, for they are apt to hit hard. But they won't
fire at us if a boat comes off to examine the
vessel."

" But in that case you will have the pleasure
of meeting your brother the major."

'■ And whatever he may do with the steamer,
he will take me to the fort with him, and put me
into the ranks."

" Perhaps we can save you from such a fate in
some way," suggested Christy, who was already
doing some heavy thinking on his own account.

" I wish you would ! " exclaimed Percy, catching
at the straw held out to him.

" There is time enough, and I will see you
again," added Christy, as he joined his father on
the forecastle, where he was taking a survey.

The owner's son had an idea, and he thought
it was a good one. Without losing any time, he

110 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

laid it before his father, explaining it in detail.
He was even ready to remove objections to the
scheme, and was confident that it would succeed.
Captain Passford called the commander, and
informed him what his son had suggested. Cap-
tain Breaker heartily approved it ; for, if it failed,
it would leave the steamer in no worse position
than before, with all her chances of running the
gauntlet successfully still open to her.

Christy was the best person on board to manage
the details, for he was the most intimate with the
son of the purchaser of vessels. He returned to
that part of the deck where he had left his
companion. He found that Percy was very
anxious to see him again, for he had founded a
hope on what had been said before.

" I think we can manage it, Mr. Percy, if you
will do just what you are told to do," Christy
began.

"I will do all that to the letter," protested
Percy ; and a smile actually lighted up his face
at the prospect of escaping the fate to which his
father and mother objected so strongly.

" You see the trouble with the Bellevite is that
she has no papers; not even a letter from the

CHRISTY MATURES A SCHEME 111

Confederate agent who is picking up vessels for
the navy. But I think we can manage it if you
will learn your part correctly."

" I will do that. Do you think you can really
keep my brother from taking me to the fort?"
asked Percy, his tones and manner burdened with
anxiety.

" I feel almost sure of it."

" Good for you ! "

'-' You must go into the cabin now with me.
They are just starting up the steamer again, and
she will soon reach the channel where she is
going into the bay."

The owner and the commander were busy in
instructing the ship's company in regard to what
would be expected of them as soon as the Bellevite
was in motion again. All the men spoken to
smiled as they heard what was said to them,
and they evidently regarded the whole affair as
a decided pleasantry. But they all promised to
be very discreet, and to say only what they had
been told to say if they were called on for any
information by Confederate officials.

In the mean time Christy was very busy with
his pupil, who entered heartily into the plan

112 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

which promised to save him from shouldering a
musket in one of the companies of his brother's
regiment. He had been quite enthusiastic from
the first ; and, as he was deeply interested in the
result of the adventure, he was a very apt pupil.

As the Bellevite approached the Middle Channel,
a tug-boat was discovered off Fort Gaines, which
immediately began to move towards the approach-
ing steamer. Examined with the glass, a heavy
gun was seen on her forecastle.

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 113

CHAPTER X

THE ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY

The tug appeared to be one of the craft which
had been hastily prepared for service, and she
did not look like a formidable vessel. Captain
Breaker was sure he could blow her out of the
water with his heavy guns, on an emergency;
but this would be bad policy, and he did not
propose to do any thing of this kind.

He was not as confident as Captain Passford
and his son were that the plan adopted would be
an entire success, with the assistance of Percy ;
but there could be no harm in trying it. He
intended to pass as near Fort Gaines as possible,
for it was not probable that the works were yet in
the best condition ; and two miles from Fort
Morgan, which was doubtless much stronger,
would afford a better chance of escaping any
shots fired from it.

114 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

As the Bellevite approached the channel, where
there could not be more than a foot of water
under her keel, Christie came on deck, followed
by Percy. The latter wore a sort of naval uni-
form, which his instructor had borrowed for him
from his own stock. It fitted him well ; for he
was no larger than the owner's son, though he was
two years older.

Percy was to be on duty, on board of the
steamer, as a Confederate agent taking the vessel
into the bay for service. He was not a little
inflated by the position which had been assigned
to him, though he had no powers whatever, except
in appearance. He had been instructed to con-
duct himself boldly, and to insist that the vessel
was in his charge, when she was boarded by officers
from the tug or from the fort. His very nature
inclined him to play this part to the best advan-
tage.

The blockade had been established at some of
the northern ports of the seceded States, but not
yet at the cities on the Gulf of Mexico ; and the
only real obstacle to the passage of the Bellevite
into the bay consisted of the two forts, for the
tug-boats were not regarded as of any consequence

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 115

to an armed steamer of great speed like the
Bellevite.

"We are approaching the shoal water now,"
said Captain Breaker to Mr. Vapoor, as the
steamer came near the south-eastern end of Pelican
Island. " We may take the ground, for the shoals
have an ugly trick of changing their position.
Let her go at about half speed."

" Half speed, sir," replied the chief engineer,
as he descended to the engine-room.

" Is it fully high tide now, Breaker ? " asked
Captain Passford, who was watching the move-
ments of the vessel with the most intense interest,
for it seemed to him that the critical moment in
his enterprise had come.

" Not quite ; it will not be full sea for about
half an hour," replied the commander. " If we
take the ground, we shall have some small chance
of getting off. — Mr. Dashington."

" On duty, sir," responded the first officer.

"Beeks has the wheel, I believe ?"

" Yes ; and Thayer is with him."

" They are both reliable men ; but I wish you
would stand by the helm, and see that the steamer
is headed directly towards the eastern end of

116 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Dauphine Island. That will give us the deepest
water till we get to the spit. Have a man in the
port and starboard chains with directions to sound
as fast as possible."

"Mr. Blowitt," called the first officer, "let a
hand sound in the port and starboard chains, and
look out for it yourself, if you please."

The second officer went forward and the first
officer aft, each to perform the duties assigned to
him by the captain. The speed of the Bellevite
had been reduced, and she was going along at a
very easy rate. The tug was some distance
beyond Fort Gaines when she was first seen, and
she seemed to be incapable of making more than
six knots an hour.

The steamer had taken on board all the coal it
was possible for her to stow away in her bunkers,
and a large supply had been put into the hold ;
but she had used a considerable portion of it in
her rapid passage, though she had still an abundant
supply for her return voyage. The reduction
in the quantity had made her draught somewhat
less, and the owner and captain hoped she would
get through the channel.

But the thought had hardly passed through

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 117

their minds before the Bellevite came to a sudden
stop, and her keel was heard grinding on the
bottom. Mr. Vapoor heard the sound in the
engine-room, and felt the jar ; and before any bell
came to him, he had stopped the machine, and
reversed it so as to check the steamer's headway.

" Run her back with all the steam you can
crowd on, Mr. Vapoor," said Captain Breaker,
as he hastened to the door of the engine-room.

"I don't think she hit the ground very hard,
captain," added the chief engineer.

" No ; she will come off. The ground has
shifted since I was here last," said the captain
of the vessel.

But it was half an hour before she yielded to
the pressure brought to bear upon her, and then
only because a few inches had been added by
the tide to the depth of water. She went back,
and came into depth enough to give her a foot
under her keel.

" It don't look very hopeful," said Captain
Passford, as he joined the commander at the
door of the engine-room.

" Oh, I think we shall be all right now ! "
replied Captain Breaker very cheerfully. "I

118 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

have found where the shoal is now, and I know
where to find deeper water. — Keep her going
astern, Mr. Vapoor."

"A boat from the fort, sir," reported a messenger,
who had been sent aft by the second officer on
the forecastle.

" That looks like an inquiry into our business
here," added the owner.

" Now we are all right," said the commander,
who was watching the position of the vessel very
carefully. "I must go to the wheel, and look
out for the course myself."

Again the Bellevite went ahead ; and she soon
reached a point half way between the two forts,
and her speed was reduced to not more than
three knots. But the tug was approaching, and
the worst part of the channel was still to be
attempted. The two men in the chains reported
the depth as rapidly as they could heave the
lead, and it was soon evident that the steamer
could not pass the extensive bar to the westward
of the ship-channel.

" Steamer ahoy ! " shouted the captain of the
tug, as he stopped his screw within hailing-
distance of the Bellevite.

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 119

" Reply to that hail, Mr. Percy,1' said the
commander to the young gentleman in uniform.
" You must do all the talking."

" I shall be very happy to do it, and I think I
can do it to your satisfaction," replied Percy
confidently.

" Jump up on the rail nearest to the tug,
where you can see and hear."

" I am not much of a sailor, Captain Breaker,
and I don't pretend to be one," added Percy.
" What shall I say to the captain of that boat ? "

" On board of the tug ! " shouted the agent of
his father, after the commander had instructed
him in regard to his speech.

" What steamer is that ? " demanded the master
of the tug.

Captain Breaker instructed him in what manner
to make his reply, though he did not tell him
what to say. The young man was to explain
the character of the vessel as he understood it ;
and neither the commander nor the owner was
disposed to indulge in any unnecessary strate-
getical falsehood, though they felt that they
could do so in the service of the Union.

" The Bellevite from Nassau," replied Percy.

120 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" Is she a Federal vessel ? " inquired the captain
of the tug with the greatest simplicity.

"A Federal vessel! " exclaimed Percy, evidently
expressing by his manner some of the indignation
he felt. "Do you mean to insult me, sir?"

" No, I do not mean to insult you ; but it
becomes necessary for me to ascertain something
more in regard to the steamer," returned the
other. " Where are you from ? "

"I told you the vessel was from Nassau."

" But she don't hail from Nassau. Where did
she come from before that?"

"From Bermuda," answered Percy, as
instructed.

" But she don't belong to Bermuda."

The volunteer agent of the Confederate cause
was not able to answer any questions in this
direction, and the commander did not tell him
what more to say.

" Can you tell me who is in command of Fort
Gaines at the present time?" demanded Percy,
branching out on his own account.

" I can ; but I want you to tell me something
more about the steamer, before I answer any
questions. Is the steamer armed ? "

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 121

" She is armed ; and she could blow your tug
into ten thousand pieces in four minutes if she
should open upon you," added Percy; and the
listeners were of the opinion that he was begin-
ning to use strong speech.

" That may be ; but with a fort on each side of
you, I don't think you will get into the bay in
broad daylight," said the captain of the tug.
" The commander of Fort Gaines is in that boat,
and I suppose he is coming off to examine the
steamer. As you are not disposed to answer my
questions, you can wait for him ; but if you try to
get into the bay, you will find that a shot from
both forts can reach you."

" I am an agent of the Confederate government,
and my father has been sent to Nassau to obtain
vessels for our navy," continued Percy, as he saw
that the boat from the fort was still some
distance from the vessel.

"Why didn't you say so before?" demanded
the captain of the tug rather impatiently. " Of
course you have some papers from the agent at
Nassau, to show what the vessel is."

" Not a single paper ; he had no time to give me
any."

122 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"Who is the agent?"

The question was evidently put as a test ; for
if the young agent, as the captain could see that
he was, gave a known name, it would be some
evidence that he told the truth.

" Colonel Richard Pierson ; and he is my
father."

" Your father ! " exclaimed the other, evidently
impressed with the fact, and his tone was more
respectful.

" You can come on board and see her for
yourself," suggested Percy, prompted by the
commander ; for there was nothing on board
to betray her true character, the guns having
been concealed.

"I will not do that, as the commander of the
fort will soon be here, and he may make the
examination for himself. But perhaps you will
be willing to give me your name ? " added the
captain.

" My name is Percy Pierson ; and, as I told you,
I am the son of Colonel Richard Pierson."

" Then you are the brother of Major Pierson,
who is in command of Fort Gaines. I think it
must be all right.

ATTEMPT TO PASS INTO MOBILE BAY 123

"Of course it is all right. Do you think I
would bring a vessel into this bay if she were
not all right?'' inquired Percy with becoming
indignation.

" I suppose you have heard there is going to be
a war, and it is necessary to find out what vessels
go into the bay," said the captain of the tug,
when he had brought his craft quite near the
steamer. " That is a very fine vessel."

" It is the fastest and strongest steamer that
floats, and she will give a good account of herself
when the trouble begins in earnest."

" Here comes the boat from the fort, and I see
that Major Pierson is in the stern sheets. I have
no doubt he will find you all right," said the
captain.

The boat came alongside of the Bellevite, and
the major went on board.

124 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XI

THE MAJOR IN COMMAND OF FORT GAINES

Percy Pierson retained his position on the
rail when his brother the major came up the
gangway steps, which had been put over for him.
As the latter went up, he could not help seeing
him ; and his astonishment evidently mounted to
the highest degree, as manifested in his expression.
The owner and the commander stood near the
rail, to give the visitor a pleasant reception.

But the major took no notice of them ; for his
attention was plainly absorbed in his surprise at
seeing his brother, dressed in uniform, on the rail
of the steamer. He halted as soon as he had
mounted the rail, over which he must pass to
reach the deck. He looked at Percy for some
time, without being able to say a word, and
seemed to be not quite sure that it was he.

The younger brother was as silent as the older

THE MAJOK OF FOKT GAINES 125

one ; for he had had some rather exciting times
with him in the matter of enlisting, and he was
not very confident of his reception at the hands
of the commander of Fort Gaines. He looked at
him with interest, not unminglecl with some
painful solicitude for the future.

" Percy ! " exclaimed Major Pierson at last,
when he was entirely satisfied that the young
man was his brother, in spite of the uniform of
blue he wore, though the gray had not yet come
into extensive use.

" Lindley ! " added the younger, evidently desir-
ing to go no faster than the occasion might
require of him.

" I am glad to see you back again," continued
the major, without offering to take his hand.
"You deserted like a coward, and I have been
ashamed of you ever since. A young fellow like
you, eighteen years old, who will not fight for his
country, ought to lose the respect of even his own
brother."

"That is a pleasant greeting," replied Percy,
with the suspicion of a sneer on his face.

" It is all that a coward deserves," replied
Lindley severely.

126 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"I am no coward, any more than you are,"
protested Percy. " You know that father did not
wish me to join the army, though I wished to do
so."

" I know that you wished to do so just as any
other coward does, — over the left."

" What could I do when father told me not to
go to the war ? "

" What could you do ? You could have gone !
If you had not been a poltroon, you would have
joined the first regiment that came in your
way."

"I never was in the habit of disobeying my
father," pleaded the young agent.

"You were not? You ran away to New
Orleans last winter when your father told you not
to go. You came home from the academy when
he told you to remain there. You have spent the
evening in Mobile when he told you not to go
there. I could tell you instances all day in which
you disobeyed him, and mother too," continued
the soldier warmly.

" That was different."

" It was different ; and you could obey your
father in a bad cause, but not in a good one. I

THE MAJOR OF FORT GAINES 127

am heartily ashamed of you, and I don't feel
willing to own you as a brother of mine."

"But my father told me that I could better
serve the good cause by going with him than I
could by joining the army."

" And you were willing to go with him, for
then you could keep out of danger. Father is
getting old, and he is not fit to serve in the
army ; and you have been his pet since you were
born. But that is no excuse for you ; and if I
can get you back into the army, I mean to do
so."

Percy was afraid he might succeed, and he did
not feel as confident as he had been ; and he lost,
for the time, some of his self-possession. He was
confronting the fate he had dreaded when he
found the steamer was leaving Nassau.

" What are you doing here ? " demanded the
major, looking down upon the deck of the vessel
for the first time.

" I am taking this steamer into the bay, where
she is to go into the service of the Confederate
States," answered Percy, plucking a little more
confidence from the nature of his present occupa-
tion.

128 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" You are taking her into the bay ! " exclaimed
the older brother.

" That is what I said, and that is what I mean,"
added Percy, glad to see that his mission had
produced an impression.

" Taking this steamer into the bay ! " repeated
the major, evidently unable to comprehend the
mission of his brother. "Do you mean to say
that you are taking her in, Percy ? "

" That is what I mean to say, and do say."

" Are you the pilot of the steamer ? I should
think you might have been, for she was aground
just now," sneered the commander of the
fort.

" I am not the pilot, and I don't pretend to be
a sailor ; but the steamer is in my charge," replied
Percy, elevating his head to the need of the
occasion.

" In charge of the steamer ! I would not trust
a coward like you in charge of a sick monkey,"
added Lindley, with his contempt fully expressed
in his face.

" See here, Lindley, I don't mean to be insulted
on board of this steamer by my own brother. If
you can't be decent, I have nothing more to say

THE MAJOR OF FORT GAINES 129

to you ! " cried Percy, his wrath breaking out
quite violently.

" If you give me an impudent word, I will take
you into the boat and put you into the fort,"
added the major, as he stepped down upon the
deck.

" No, you won't. I will jump overboard before
I will be carried to the fort. I have done just
what my father told me to do, to say nothing of
my mother ; and I won't be insulted by you. It
is you who are the coward and the poltroon, to do
so," continued Percy, boiling over with rage.

Whatever provocation the major had had for his
savage treatment of his brother, the owner of the
Bellevite thought his conduct was unjustifiable.
Tire young man was under age ; and whether or
not his father was less a patriot than his older
son, the latter was certainly unkind, ungenerous,
and even brutal. Without being a " milk-and-
water man," Captain Passford was full of kind-
ness, courtesy, and justice. He did not like the
behavior of the major towards his brother.

It looked like a family quarrel of the two
brothers on board of the steamer; for Percy was
evidently " a weak chicken," after all, though he

130 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

had become desperate under the stings and
reproaches of the major. Under present circum-
stances, it did not appear that Percy could be of
any service on board of the Belle vite, for his
brother would not hear a word he said. Captain
Passford directed the commander to have every
thing ready for a hurried movement at once, for
there was but little hope of satisfying a man as
unreasonable as the commander of the fort had
proved himself to be in his dealing with his
brother.

The captain of the steamer went to Mr. Vapoor,
who was standing near the door of the engine-
room, and said something to him, which soon
produced a lively effect among the coal-passers
below.

" I will attend to your case in a few minutes,
Percy, for I do not allow any one to be impudent
to me," growled the major.

"Nor I either. If 3'ou put a finger on me, I
will put a bullet through your head, if 3-ou are
my brother ! " yelled Percy, as he took a small
revolver from his hip-pocket.

This demonstration increased the anger of
Lindley ; and he ran up the steps to the rail

THE MAJOR OF FORT GAINES 131

again, where he called upon two soldiers to come
on deck. At the same moment, Captain Breaker,
as instructed by the owner, rang the bell on the
quarter, and the engine began to move again.
Before the men from the boat could leave it, the
steamer was moving, and it was no longer possible
fur them to obey the order.

" What are you about, sir ? " demanded Major
Pierson, rushing to the commander, not a little
excited by what had been done.

w* I think this thing has gone about far enough,
sir," replied Captain Breaker, as calmly as though
there had not been a ripple on the surface of affairs.

" But I came on board of this steamer to make
an examination of the character of the vessel,"
protested the major, who evidently did not like
the present aspect of the situation.

" I have waited for you to do so ; but I do not
care to lose the tide while you are quarrelling
with your brother, sir," added the commander.

" But I order you to stop, sir ! " continued the
major.

" What am I to do, Mr. Percy ? " asked Captain
Breaker, addressing the young man with a
revolver in his hand.

132 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

There was something on the part of the
commander which indicated that he was playing
a part, as were all on board, though he seemed
to be a little amused to find that he was taking
his orders from a boy of eighteen. At the same
time he nodded his head slightly, though very
significantly, to the young agent.

" Go ahead just as fast as you can make the
steamer travel, Captain Breaker/' said Percy,
with as much energy as though he had been in
command of a Confederate fleet.

" Certainly, Mr. Percy ; I shall obey your
order, as you have charge of the vessel," added
the commander.

This passage between the authority of the
steamer and his brother absolutely confounded
the major, and for a couple of minutes he was
unable to say any thing at all. But Captain
Breaker, who was the only pilot on board, was
obliged to leave the ship's guest in order to look
out for the course of the steamer.

It seemed to be useless to attempt to get over
the bar where he had tried to do so ; and
he directed the vessel towards the main ship-
channel, rinding plenty of water to enable him to

THE MAJOR OF FORT GAINES 133

reach it. But he would have to run the gauntlet
of Fort Morgan, and the chances of a shot were
against him.

" Do you mean to say that Percy is in charge
of this steamer, Captain Breaker?" demanded
Major Pierson, who had by this time recovered
some portion of his self-possession.

" That is what both he and I said to you,"
replied Captain Breaker.

"And the vessel is to be in the service of the
Confederate States," added Percy, with more
pluck than he had displayed before. " If my
brother will not let her pass into the bay, I will
go on shore at Fort Morgan, and explain the
situation to the officer in command," blustered
Percy; and perhaps he would have done just as
much under the circumstances if he had known
the vessel was on the other side in the coming
conflict.

" Where are your papers, sir?" asked the major.

" We have no papers ; and that is why I am
come in charge of the steamer," replied the agent,
who seemed to be quite able to strain a point
when necessary.

" We met Colonel Richard Pierson in Nassau,

134 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and I believe he is your father and Mr. Percy's,"
answered Captain Breaker.

" He is ; but I can hardly understand how he
happened to send my brother home in charge of
this fine steamer," said the major, glancing at his
brother.

" Going into the army is not all the duty a man
has to do for his country," said Percy warmly.

"May I ask where this vessel came from?"
inquired the commander of the fort.

" From New York before she went to Bermuda
and Nassau ; before that, from England," replied
the commander evasively.

"If you are really in charge of the steamer,
Percy, I have nothing more to say," continued
Major Pierson. "Now may I ask who owns
her?"

" Captain Horatio Passford, who stands there ? "

The officer in command of the fort started
back as though he had received another surprise,
greater than before.

THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN 135

CHAPTER XII

HOW THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN

Major Llndley Pierson was plainly very
much disturbed when the owner of the Bellevite
was pointed out to him by the commander. He
had practically retreated from the position he had
taken with his brother, and had apparently given
up the idea of sending him to the fort to be made
a soldier.

From the point which the steamer had reached,
just north of Little Pelican Island, Captain
Breaker had directed Mr. Dashington to head the
vessel to the eastward, through Sand Island
Channel ; and she was now moving towards the
main ship-channel, which passed under the very
guns of Fort Morgan.

The tug had picked up the boat from the fort
on the other side of the bay, and was following
the Bellevite, though she had fallen a long way

136 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

behind her in a very short time. It was about
two miles to the more formidable fort, and the
steamer was going at full speed, so that it could
not be long before a shot would interrupt the
harmony of her movements.

In the mean time the commander of Fort Gaines
was really a prisoner on board of the Belle vite,
for Captain Breaker had started her screw before
he could get any of his force on board. But the
major was not half so much disturbed by this fact
as he was by the consciousness that he had
behaved in a very rude, brutal, and tyrannical
manner in the presence of Colonel Passford's
brother, who had thus far spoken not a word to
him.

" Captain Breaker, may I ask you to present
me to the owner of the steamer ? " said Major
Pierson, after he had looked about him for a time,
and perhaps considered how he should atone for
his rudeness.

" Certainly, if you desire it," replied the com-
mander, who was as polite as though he had been
brought up in Paris, though he was hardly an
exception to all naval officers.

"Will you excuse me if I say that you are

THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN 137

running at great speed, sir, and a shot from Fort
Morgan cannot be much longer postponed," added
the major, as he glanced at the fort on the right.

" I did not willingly start the steamer, sir ; but
it was my duty to protect the agent in whose
charge the steamer comes into port. If you say
that he shall suffer no further annoyance, either on
your own part or that of your people, I will stop
the screw and wait your pleasure," said the
commander.

"I have had some difficulty with my brother,
and it looked incredible to me that he had come
into Mobile Bay in charge of this fine vessel. I
apologize to you and the owner for my rudeness,
and assure you that I will not trouble Percy again
while he remains on board," continued Major
Pierson, with no little embarrassment in his
manner.

" I accept the apology, and your explanation is
entirely sufficient. What happens to Mr. Percy
after he leaves the steamer does not concern me,"
answered Captain Breaker with a polite bow, as
he went to the quarter and rang the bell to stop
her.

When he had done this, he conducted Major

138 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Pierson to the quarter - deck, where Captain
Passford and Christy were seated, and formally
presented him to both of them.

" I am most happy to make your acquaintance,
Captain Passford," said the commander of Fort
Gaines, as he extended his hand to the owner,
which was taken, though the expression of the
gentleman from the North did not indicate that
he was very well pleased with him.

To Christy he was as polite as to his father,
and to both he was almost obsequious. It was
rather difficult for father or son to realize that
this was the man who had threatened to send
his own brother to the fort as a soldier, to say
nothing of the abusive language he had used.

"I am very glad to see you in the State of
Alabama, Captain Passford, and especially at this
time," the major began ; and it looked as though
the cordiality of his welcome was to compensate
for former rudeness.

"I am not a total stranger here," added the
owner rather coldly.

"It affords me a degree of pleasure I cannot
express to see you come here, as events are
getting big all around us, and with such a fine

THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN 139

steamer. I am sure the Government will regard
you as one of its greatest and truest benefactors,"
continued Major Pierson.

"It is my intention to serve the good cause
with whatever measure of ability I may possess ;
but I do not care to say any thing at all about my
purpose till I have talked with my brother. I hope
I shall find my brother Homer in full sympathy
with me in my views," added the owner, though it
was not a pleasure to him even to deceive an
enemy.

"Colonel Passford!" exclaimed the major.
" Have you any doubt about him ? "

" Hardly any, though I prefer to talk with him
before I say much on my own account."

" Colonel Passford is not a very demonstrative
man, but no one in the vicinity of Glenfield has
any doubt as to how he stands on the great
question."

" I think no one will have airy doubt as to how
I stand, as soon as I take my position."

" Certainly, sir, you will give no doubtful
sound."

" I hope not."

" I came on board to examine this steamer

140 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

before we permitted her to pass the forts,'1
continued Major Pierson. " I find her in charge
of my brother, in the absence of any letter from
my father or other Confederate agent. I humbly
apologize for the rudeness of which I was guilty,
though I assure you I have had abundant provo-
cation for it."

" That is a family affair with which we have
nothing to do beyond the proper protection of the
young agent in charge of the steamer."

"I wish to say that I am entirely satisfied,
Captain Passford, and I am heartily delighted to
learn that you are about to make your residence
in this section of the country," said the major, who
seemed to have assured himself on this point
without much assistance from those most deeply
concerned.

The owner looked at him, and tried to ascertain
what was passing in his mind ; and it was not a
very difficult enterprise to accomplish his purpose.
The hint he had received about the frequent visits
of Major Pierson at Grlenfield seemed to explain
the present operations of his mind. Florry Pass-
ford was a beautiful young lady of eighteen, and
any young man of twenty-six could easily have

THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN 141

been excused for making his visits very often at
the mansion in which she resided.

Though the fond father was not disposed to
interfere unnecessarily with the choice of his
daughter, even the hint that she might be entan-
gled more than a thousand miles from her home
had given him a positive shock. Now that he had
seen the young man, and observed his conduct an
board of the Bellevite, he most earnestly hoped
that she was not in any degree committed to him.
He had an additional inducement to get her away
from the home of his brother, and the thought of
it nerved him to increased exertion. What he
had seen of the commander of Fort Gaines,
though he appeared to be a faithful, patriotic, and
energetic young man, as he understood his duty
to his country, assuredly he was not the person he
would have chosen for Florry. But his brother
could tell him more about it, and how far the
matter had gone, when he saw him.

By the time Captain Passford had settled his
conclusions as far as he could, the tug came up
to the steamer, towing the boat from the fort.
Percy felt that he had won a victory over his
brother, and a Bantam rooster could not have

142 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

made a wider spread on the deck. He seemed
to feel that he was in command of the steamer,
though he did not venture to interfere with any
thing on board.

" I am very sorry to have given you any annoy-
ance, Captain Passford," said the major, as the
tug came up to the gangway. " I think we
should have understood each other better if your
steamer had not got aground."

" We have suffered little or no inconvenience,
sir."

" Whether you have or not, you shall suffer
no more. The tug has come alongside, and I
will see that you are not delayed a moment after
I can get to Fort Morgan, which will certainly
fire upon you if I do not interfere ; and I will
go to it in the tug," continued the major, who
was still struggling to make all the atonement
in his power for his former conduct.

" You are very kind, Major Pierson, and I am
under obligations to you. I have not seen my
daughter for nearly six months, or my brother ;
and the sooner I meet them, the better I shall
like it," replied the owner.

"I have had the pleasure of meeting your

THE BELLEYITE PASSED FORT MORGAN 148

daughter several times, as your brother's planta-
tion is next to my father's. It is possible that,
if the exigencies of the coming war permit, I
may desire to address a communication to you
at no distant day," said Major Pierson, with
considerable embarrassment in his manner.

Captain Passford made no reply to this remark ;
for he thought it was entirely out of place under
present circumstances, and hoped matters had not
gone far enough even to think of future formali-
ties. The major shook hands with the owner
and his son, and then with the commander,
and went over the side. As he did so, he re-
quested Captain Breaker not to advance till he
reached the fort, or at least not to attempt to
pass it.

The tug-boat went off on its course, but it
was nearly half an hour before it got near enough
to the fort to allow the Belle vite to start her
screw. As there was nowhere less than three
fathoms of water, and Captain Breaker knew
every inch of bottom, he directed Mr. Vapoor
to hurry the engine, so that no one should have
time to change his mind. The steamer shot by
the fort as though she did not like the looks of

144 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

it, and in another half an hour she was out
of the reach of its guns.

The commander had piloted the steamer to
her present destination before ; and there was
plenty of water till she nearly reached the wharf,
where the planter could load small vessels with
cotton. It was not within the city of Mobile,
though it was not far from it ; and it was a sort
of low-ground paradise, which money and taste
had made very beautiful.

" What am I to do now, Mr. Pierson ? " asked
Percy, when the steamer had come to her moor-
ings alongside the wharf.

" That will be for you to decide, Mr. Percy ;
but you had better take that uniform off before
you live any longer, for I am afraid some one
will mistake your character if you wear it on
shore," replied Christy.

" I don't know that I shall go on shore," replied
the agent doubtfully. " I got by my brother
very nicely, thanks to Captain Breaker ; for I
should have been sent to the fort if he had not
started the screw."

" Do you think you are in any danger here ? "
asked Christy.

THE BELLE VITE PASSED FOET MORGAN 145

" I know I am. My father's house is over in
that direction about half a mile. My brother
can leave the fort any time he likes; and he
will either do so, or send some of his men up
here in the fast tug to catch me."

"Why don't you go into the army, if your
brother is so anxious about it, Percy?"

" That is just what 1 want to do, but my father
positively forbid my doing so," replied the volun-
teer agent. " I should like to get back to Nassau ;
for I know I shall be forced into the army, in
spite of my father, if I stay here."

"My boy," called his father, "I am going on
shore now, and I should like to have you go with
me to see your uncle."

Christy was glad to do so ; and he departed
with the owner, leaving Percy in charge of the
commander.

146 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XIII

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

If Homer Passford was not a rich man in the
sense that his brother was, he was still a wealthy
man, and lived in a style as elegant as that of
any nabob in the South. More than this, and of
vastly more consequence, he was a good and true
man. He was a member of his church, and his
brother believed that he was a genuine and true
religious man. The same principles of justice,
humanity, and fairness had been born into both
of the brothers, and inherited from the same
father.

This was the brother whom he from the North
was about to visit on the most solemn and
momentous questions which could unite or
separate the only two sons of the same father.
Though Horatio had reasoned himself into the
belief that Homer was as strongly a Union man

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 147

as he was himself, he had argued without any
adequate premises ; and now, when he was almost
on the threshold of his door, he did not feel sure
of the position of his brother, though his hope
was very strong.

It was with no little trepidation on this account
that he rang the bell at the front door of Glen
field. A few minutes or an hour or two
would settle the momentous question, and decide
whether or not all the family, as well as Florry,
would take passage in the Bellevite for a more
Northern clime.

"De L'od ! " exclaimed the venerable colored
man that came to the door. " De hull family
done be wery glad to see you, Massa 'Ratio."

"•I hope you are very well, Pedro," replied
Captain Passford, as he gave his hand to the
old servant. " Here is Christy."

"De Lo*d bless Massa Christy!" And he
shook hands with the son as he had with the
father.

"Is your master at home, Pedro?" asked the
visitor, in haste to see his brother.

" Yes, sar ; all de folks to home ; jes' gwine to
lunch. I spects dey all wery glad to see Massa

148 ' TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

'Ratio and Massa Christy. Walk in, sar ; took
a seat in de parlor ; and I done reckon we call
Massa Homer and de rest ob de folks afore yon
gits to sleep in yer char, thar," said Pedro, as he
scurried out of the room where he had shown
the visitors.

It was Florry who caught the first sound of
the visitors who had arrived, and she rushed
into the drawing-room before the others could be
called from up-stairs. She bounded into the
room like a fawn, with her eyes swimming with
tears, and threw herself into her father's arms.
She could not speak a word, and the captain was
as dumb as she was.

For a moment she remained folded in his arms,
and then she gently disengaged herself, to render
the same wealth of affection in its manifestation
to her brother, who was standing by her father
when she darted into the room. But Christy
was a boy, and not as demonstrative as his
father, though he discharged the duties of the
affecting occasion with becoming fidelity, so that
the loving girl was sure that his heart was
where it had always been.

"Why, papa, I had no idea of seeing you

"She was Clasped in her Father's Arms" (Page 14£)

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 149

to-day ! " exclaimed Florry, when she had wiped
away her abundant tears. " I did not know that
I should ever see you again, for they say that
all the roads to the North have been closed to
travel."

" We did not come by land, either by railroad
or otherwise ; and the Bellevite lies at the
wharf near this house," the captain explained.

" I was terribly afraid I should never see you
again, and that I should have to stay here till
this war is ended, papa ; but they say it will
soon be over," said the fair girl.

" I am afraid it will not be over for a long
time, for each side is firmly united in its own
cause. But I could not leave you here. Do
you want to go back to Bonnydale, Florry?"

" Do I want to go back ? What a funny
question, papa ! " exclaimed she.

" Why is it a funny question ? " asked the
anxious father, recalling the rather presumptuous
suggestion the gallant major from Fort Gaines
had made.

"Don't you think I want to see mamma?
You have not told me a word about her ; and it
is a long time now since I have heard any thing.

150 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

I do want to go home, and especially I want to
see mamma."

" Then you shall see her.

" Is she here, papa ? " exclaimed Florry,
leaping out of the chair in which she had seated
herself.

" She is not here, my child. She is at home,
but it will not take many days to bear you to
her," replied the devoted father, embracing her
again, while she kissed him over and over again.

" Can I see her before the war is over, papa ? "
she asked.

"Certainly you can, if no accident interferes
with my plans. You really want to go home ? "

" To be sure I do. How cruel it is of you to
ask me such a question ! "

" Then I won't ask it again. But perhaps you
will not be able to come to Glenfield again for
years," added Captain Passford, looking earnestly
into her face.

" What makes you look at me so, papa ? What
have I done ? You look just as 3*011 did when I
was little and pulled the kitten's tail."

" It is a long time since I have seen you, Florry
and I want to look at you all I can."

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 151

" Then you may look at me as much as you
wish ; and I shall be thankful it is not that Major
Pierson who comes here, for he has stared me out
of countenance every time he came," replied she,
blushing a little.

" Then you don't like him, do you ? " asked her
father, with more interest than he cared to
display.

" I like him well enough, but I wish he would
not stare at me all the time. He seems to think
I am good for nothing but to look at," replied
Florry smartly.

But the entrance of Mr. and Mrs. Passford
turned aside the inquiries the captain was making
before he had satisfied himself, though he had
obtained enough to afford him some hope. The
greeting extended to the brother and nephew was
all that could be expected or desired ; and if the
country had not been riven into two bitterly hos-
tile sections, the interview could not have been
more brotherly and affectionate. A full hour was
used in talking about the trip of the Bellevite, so
anxious were the family, including Florry, to hear
the particulars of the voyage.

'kBut how in the world did you get here,

152 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Horatio, when every public conveyance that leads
into the South has been discontinued?" asked
Homer.

"I came as I came before," replied Horatio.

" You came in the Bellevite ! " exclaimed
Homer.

" I did."

"But how did you get by the forts? Both of
them have been garrisoned, and they have been
ordered to allow no vessel to pass unless she give
a good account of herself," continued the planter.

" In other words, it is war now," added
Horatio.

" Undoubtedly it is war ; and, in my judg-
ment, it will be a terrible conflict before it is
finished."

" I full}' agree with you, Homer."

" But you did not tell me in what manner you
passed the two forts, which are already strong
enough to blow your steamer into a thousand
pieces," suggested Homer.

" I did not tell you, and I think we had better
understand each other a little better before I say
any thing at all about the passage of the forts ;
though I can assure you that not a single shot

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 153

was fired at the Bellevite," said Horatio, some-
what embarrassed by the situation.

" De lunch am ready, saw," said a darky at the
door at this moment ; and perhaps the summons
saved the owner of the Bellevite from some
further annoyance.

An hour was spent at the table, for there was
enough to talk about without meddling with deli-
cate subjects. When the repast was over, Florry
invited her brother to look at the flower-garden,
which was in the height of its glory, and she was
followed by Gerty her cousin, and by Mrs.
Passford. As in the Northern family, there were
only two children ; but Cornelius, or Corny as he
was generally called, was not at home, though
nothing at all was said about him.

Horatio was invited into the library by his
brother, and they seated themselves for a long
talk. The owner of the Bellevite was confident
that he should soon know on which side the
planter belonged, though he was still confident in
his former views.

" I suppose there is no other way for you to get
here at the present time except in your yacht,
and not many men can command so elegant and

154 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

substantial a vessel as the Bellevite," said Homer,
when they were seated. " But what in the world
do you expect to do with her down here ? "

" I intend to return to my home in her, and tc
take my daughter back to her mother," replied
Ploratio, as unmoved as though he had uttered a
commonplace expression.

"Take Florry'oack to her mother ! " exclaimed
Homer, springing out of his armchair as though
his five-and-forty years counted for nothing. " I
hope that nothing at all is the matter with your
brain, Horatio."

" Nothing at all, so far as I am aware, Homer.
You seem to think it is a great undertaking to
take my daughter home," added Horatio.

" But it is war in this country, and all along the
coast. You will certainly be captured, and your
daughter sent to a prison, at least till she can be
sent home. You have not more than one chance
in ten to get to New York."

" Do you think so ? " asked Horatio, smiling.

" If you don't know it, I do, my dear brother,
that the Southern Confederacy has sent out agents
to buy up all the suitable vessels they can find, to
do duty as cruisers and privateers. You are almost

A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION 155

sure to be captured, and think what Florry would
suffer in such an event."

" You seem to think that the North is going to
hold still, and let you do all this, Homer," added
the owner of the Bellevite.

" I don't see how the North can help itself."

" My information is rather meagre ; but I am
informed that the Government of the United
States has proclaimed the blockade, and even that
it is enforced farther north, as I am sure it will be
on the south."

'4 That is all nonsense, Horatio, and you know
it,"

'*I don't understand it so."

" How is it possible for the Yankee Government
to station ships-of-war on the coast of the South-
ern States ? It is simply impossible," said Homer,
warming up with the argument, " The business
of fitting out vessels is already begun, I read in
the newspapers ; and it will be pushed to the
utmost."

" I am confident that every Confederate port in
the United States will be invested by one or more
vessels within a reasonable time."

" But your steamer will be captured before

156 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

you can get home, even if you get out of Mobile
Bay."

"I don't apprehend any difficulty on that
account. If the Bellevite can't keep out of the
way of any thing that floats, she deserves to be
captured. She will belong to the Government
within a few weeks," added Horatio quietly.

" The Bellevite ! " exclaimed Homer.

" The Bellevite, certainly. I should be ashamed
to retain her a month after I knew that the Union
needs her, and the Union shall have her as a free
gift," added Horatio, quite as warmly as his
brother had spoken.

" You will give }^our steamer to the Yankee
Government ! " gasped Homer, rising from his
chair again, and darting across the room, as though
he was both shocked and disgusted at the conduct
of Horatio. " You will allow her to be used in
subduing a free people ? I am sorry."

Homer was very deeply grieved, and Horatio
hardly less so.

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 157

CHAPTER XIV

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY

To Captain Passford the question seemed to be
settled ; and he could no longer doubt that his
brother fully sympathized with the leaders of the
rebellion, if he was not one of them himself. He
was certainly the most enthusiastic person he had
yet seen on that side of the question. But Homer
was thoroughly sincere, for he never was any thing
else on any subject.

Horatio was unable to understand how his
brother could reason himself into the belief that
secession was right, when the duty of saving the
Union was to him paramount ; and certainly
Homer was equally puzzled over the political faith
of Horatio. Until the darkness of evening began
to gather, they argued the tremendous question ;
and they discussed it ably, for both of them were
thinking and reasoning men.

But, when the darkness gathered, they were not

158 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

one hair's-breadth nearer an agreement ; and
probably if they had continued to argue till morn-
ing, or even till the end of the year, they would
have come no nearer together. Each had a sort
of horror of the views of the other, though they
had lived in peace and harmony all the days of
their lives.

" Homer, you are my brother ; and I am sure
that an unpleasant word never passed between
us," said Horatio, when the sun had gone down on
the fruitless discussion.

"Certainly not, brother; and it grieves me
sorely to find that you are upon one side, while I
am on the other," replied Homer with a strong
manifestation of feeling. " I did not expect to
see you at Glenfield ; but I felt sure that you
would not be found, actually or constructively, in
the ranks of the enemies of the South."

"And I was equally sure that you would be
found on the side of your country, — the whole
country, and not a miserable fraction of it,"
added Horatio, with quite as much warmth as
his brother. " I came here in the Bellevite as
much to convey you to a place of safety, as to
restore Florry to her mother."

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 159

" My country is here in the South. I have no
other country ; and I shall stand by it to the last
ditch, wherein I am ready to cast all that I have
and all that I am. If you thought it possible
for me to desert the cause of the South, you
strangely misjudged me ; and I do not feel at all
complimented by the formation of your opinion
of me," said Homer, with a trifle more of bitter-
ness in his tone and manner than he had used
before.

" I see how it is with }<tou, Homer ; and I
realize that it is worse than folly for us to discuss
this important question. Your mind is made up,
and so is mine ; and I fear that we might quarrel
if we should continue to bandy words on the
subject. We had better drop it entirely, once
for all."

" Perhaps we had ; but it grieves me sorely,
even to think of my only brother taking part
with the hirelings of the North in an attempt to
subdue the free, untamed, and untamable South.
It would not hurt my feelings more to know that
you were a buccaneer, roving on the ocean for
the plunder of all nations."

" You should also consider my feelings when

160 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

I think of you in armed rebellion against the
best government God ever allowed to exist ; that
my own brother is a rebel and a traitor, who is
liable to be shot or hung for his armed treason."

This was too much for Homer, and he gave
vent to his emotion in a laugh at the picture his
brother had drawn. He walked the library, and
chuckled as though he were actually amused at
the remarks of the other; and perhaps he was.

" I am really and heartily sorry for you,
Horatio. Your future, I fear, will be terribly
dark. Of course, all business will cease at the
North : the grass will grow in the streets of New
York and other large cities. You have an
immense fortune, which I do not believe you can
retain a single year ; for the war is not to be
confined to Southern soil, but will be carried into
the North, where the expenses of our men will
be paid by the enem}r."

" T think we had better confine our attention
to the present, and let the future take care of
itself," said Horatio, with a smile at the prophetic
croakings of his brother.

" Be that as it may, though T feel confident
that all I predict will come to pass, I desire to

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 161

have one thing understood : when you have lost
your fortune, or wasted it on the hireling armies
of the North, or on ships for its navy, you may
always be sure of a home at Glenfield for yourself
and all your family."

" If you do not lose or waste all that you have
on the army of the other side," added Horatio with
a smile. " But 1 am ready to drop this subject."

" It seems to be useless to continue it ; though,
if there were any possible way to convert you
from the error of your way of thinking, I would
struggle all night with you," said Homer.

" You cannot make a traitor of me, brother.
But I must tell Florry to pack her trunk at
once."

" Pack her trunk ? Why are you in such a
hurry?" demanded Homer.

" Because this is not a safe place for me and
mine ; and I have my two children with me."

" You ought to have left Christy at home."

" I think not. Though he is only sixteen, he
has seen so much of the world, and is so bright,
that he is almost a man. He will go into the
navy within a few weeks, and I shall expect him
to give a good account of himself."

162 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" He is rather young. Corny is eighteen, and
he has already enlisted with his mother's blessing
■and mine. But I think you need not be in such
a hurry, Horatio, to get away from here ; for it
is a long time since we met.1'

" I have expressed my political sentiments very
freely to you, Homer , and you know as well as I
do, that, if they were known, I should not be safe
a single day."

" Not quite so bad as that, for I think I should
have sufficient influence to save you from arrest,"
added Homer.

"■The Bellevite cost me over half a million
dollars, and she is worth all she cost. If I were
safe a single day, the steamer and ship's company
on board of her would not be. I brought them
down here, and I intend to take them back."

"And then you present this fine vessel to the
Yankee Government, and doubtless the men on
board of her will go into the service of the
navy."

"I certainly expect as much as that of them."

'* Then I question whether I ought to allow
such a prize to pass out of the bay for such a
purpose,'" said Homer.

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 163

" Then, with such a doubt as that in your mind,
I ought not to remain here another hour," added
Horatio quietly. " If you have gone far enough
in treason to betray your own brother, coming
here to your home for no warlike purpose, into the
hands of the enemy, why, all I can do is to look
out for myself."

"I did not say that I should betray you,
Horatio. It is simply a question with me whether
my duty to my country will allow me to let your
steamer leave these waters. I have not settled
the question in my own mind."

" I hope you will settle it soon. If I am to take
my first step in this fratricidal war by defending
myself against my own brother, let him speak, and
I am ready," replied Horatio, shaken by an
emotion deeper than he had ever experienced
before.

" Horatio, whatever you may do, whatever I
may do, each in the discharge of his duty to his
country, his country as he understands it, let
us have no unfraternal feeling," continued Homer,
almost as much disturbed in his feelings as .his
brother.

" In other words, if you hand me and my vessel

164 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

over to your leaders, and consequently take from
me the means of bearing my daughter to a place
of safety, I am to put my hand on my heart, and
say that my brother has done right, for I will not
use any stronger terms," said Horatio, struggling
with his emotion.

"I must do my duty as I understand it,"
protested Homer. " The question I put to myself
is this : can I justify myself, before God and my
country, if I permit the finest steamer in the
world, as you state it, to be transferred to the
Yankee navy, to be used in killing, ravaging, and
destroying within the free South? The steamer is
here, and within my reach. After all you have
said, she would be the lawful prize of any tug-boat
in the bay that could capture her. I begin to
realize that I should be guilty of treason to my
country in letting her go."

" You must be your own judge in regard to
that," replied Horatio bitterly, as he rose from his
chair and walked towards the door.

" One word more, Horatio. I look upon the
Bellevite as already belonging to the Southern
Confederacy. Of course, being a private yacht,
she is not armed ? "

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 165

Homer paused and looked at his brother as
though he expected an answer to this question ;
but the owner of the steamer made no reply.

"Do you say that the Belle vite is armed,
Horatio ? " repeated Homer.

" I do not say any thing about it. I find that I
am in the presence of an enemy, though he is my
own brother."

" Do not assume that tone ,to me, Horatio : it
wounds me to the heart," said Homer, in a depre-
catory tone. " If we are enemies because you
choose to oppress our people, I cannot help it ;
but we will still be brothers."

" The attack upon Fort Sumter was made by
the South ; and thus far, at least to the extent
that I have been informed, the South has been the
assailant ; and you say that I choose to oppress
your people. They have taken the sword, and
they will perish by the sword."

Captain Passford could not trust his feelings
any longer to remain with his brother, and he left
the room. In the hall he met Florry, who had
been lying in wait for him for over an hour. She
threw herself on his neck as she had done before ;
but she found her father full of energy, and he

166 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

was not even willing to use his minutes to caress
her.

"What is the matter, papa?" asked the fair
girl, astonished at the manner of her father, for
she had never before seen him so agitated.

"Do not ask me any questions, Florry, for I
have not time to answer them now," said he
hastily. " Go to your room and pack all your
things as quick as you possibly can, and without
saying a word to any one."

" Why, papa ! "

" Not a word, my dear child," he added, kissing
her.

" It will not take me five minutes, papa ; for I
have been packing my trunk this afternoon, when
I had nothing else to do."

" Where is your room, Florry ? "

" It is on the lower floor, next to the library."

" I will be there in a few minutes. Dress your-
self, and be ready to leave at a minute's notice,"
continued Captain Passford. " Where is Christy ? "

" He went out about an hour ago, when he saw
from the window a young man I did not know,"
replied Florry, as she passed into her room.

Captain Passford wondered who the young man

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 167

was whom his son had gone out to meet ; for no
one was allowed to leave the deck of the Bellevite
who belonged to her, and he was not aware that
Christy had any friend in the vicinity. He was
annoyed at his absence, for he wanted him at that
very moment.

Mrs. Passford and Gerty were up-stairs, where
nimble fingers were busily at work for the soldiers
of the Southern Confederacy, as they were also in
the North for the Union. The captain looked all
about the house, but he could not see or hear of
his son.

168 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XV

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER

Captain Passford was very much annoyed at
the absence of Christy at that particular moment,
for it seemed to be heavily laden with momentous
events to him and his family ; though Christy
could not possibly know what had transpired in
the library between the two brothers. He waited
very uneasily in the hall, after his return from his
search.

Homer Passford did not come out of his library,
and he sat brooding over the remarkable interview
which had taken place between the brothers. No
doubt he would have been glad to believe that he
had been wrong ; for he had nothing but the kind-
est feelings in the world towards his brother, and
had never had in all his life. He was five years
older than Horatio ; and, in their earlier life,
he had been to some extent his guardian and

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER 169

protector, and he had never lost the feeling of
boyhood.

But he had proved himself to be a patriot of the
severest type, and proposed to rob his brother of
his steamer, his only means of conveying his
daughter to his home, for the benefit of the frac-
tion of the nation which he called his country, and
more to prevent her from being transferred to the
navy of the Union.

While the captain was waiting in the hall, the
library door opened, and Homer presented himself.
He invited his brother to return to the apartment,
for he had something to say to him ; but Horatio
positively declined to do so, fearful that they
might come to an open rupture if the exciting
discussion was continued.

"But you will hear me a moment or two, will
you not, Horatio?" asked Homer; and his lips
quivered under the influence of his active thought.

" I will as long as that," replied Horatio.

"I have been thinking of the subject of our
conversation in relation to the Bellevite ; and I
have something to propose to you, which I hope
will satisfy you, and at the same time will not rob
our Government of what now belongs to it."

170 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"I am listening," added Horatio, as Homer
paused to note the effect of his proposal.

" You did not tell me how you got by the forts
in your steamer, and perhaps you are ready to do
so now."

" I am not ready now ; and I am not likely to
be ready at any future time to do so, Homer. You
have indicated that we are enemies, and each
should keep his own counsels."

" Of course you will do as you think proper. I
cannot reconcile myself to the idea of permitting
a fine steamer like the Bellevite, now virtually in
possession of the Confederacy, to sail away out of
the bay. I feel that I should be guilty of treason
to my country to do so."

" And you propose to steal her from your own
brother, if you can. You have done a large
business in stealing forts, and one ought not to
be surprised when you propose to steal a ship,"
replied Horatio mildly but sternly.

" I pass over the injustice and unkindness on
your part of that remark, and I hope you will
accept my offer."

" Let me hear it as soon as possible."

" In spite of your present unfortunate position,

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER 171

Horatio, I believe you are still a man of truth,
honor, and integrity."

"Thank you, Homer."

" I do not wish to keep Florry here when her
mother desires so much to see her, and I have hit
upon a plan by which you can do this without
making me a traitor to my country."

" It must have been a happy thought," added
Horatio, somewhat interested in what the other
was saying.

" I think it was a happy thought, and I
sincerely hope you will be able to accept the plan.
I have some little influence in this section, and I
have no doubt I can procure a pass for your
steamer to go to sea," continued Homer, pausing
to study the expression of his brother.

" Do I understand that you propose to do this,
Homer?" asked Captain Passford, not a little
astonished at the apparent change his brother had
made in his position.

" On a certain condition, which you can easily
meet."

"It looks as though you were becoming more
reasonable. What is the condition on which you
will do this? For I should certainly prefer to

172 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

have no shots fired at the Belle vite while Florry
is on board of her."

" As I have said, your word is as good as your
bond; and I am willing to accept the conse-
quences of the step I propose to take, since the
Confederacy will not suffer any loss or detriment
on account of it."

"It will not! " exclaimed the captain, beginning
to see that he could not accept the conditions.

"It will not. I could not injure or cheat my
country, even to serve my only brother, greatly as
T desire to do all I can for him."

"But what is the condition, Homer?" asked
Captain Passford, who had by this time lost all
hope of the plan.

" You shall take Florry to some point, — Ber-
muda, for instance, — from which she can obtain
passage to New York. Before you go, you shall
give me your simple word that you will return to
Mobile Bay with the Bellevite, and surrender her
to the Confederate authorities. I am entirely
willing to accept your promise to do this, without
any bond or other writing."

"Is that all?" asked Horatio, hardly able to
contain himself.

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER 173

" That is all ; what more do you desire? "

" Nothing ; that is enough. I have already
tendered my steamer to the Government of the
United States ; do you think me capable of
surrendering my vessel to rebels and traitors,
under any possible circumstances? I would blow
her up with all on board of her, before I would do
such a thing. You insult me by proposing such
treachery to me. Not another word about it, if
you please ! "

Homer returned to his library, and closed the
door after him ; for the last remark of the owner
of the Bellevite had excited him, and he could not
trust himself to remain any longer in the presence
of his Union brother.

" I am all ready, papa," said Florry, who had
opened the door once before, and found that her
father was engaged.

" I cannot find Christy, but I hope he is not far
off," added Captain Passford, as he went into the
room, and, to the astonishment of his daughter,
bolted the door after him.

" I did not know the young man he went out to
see, but I noticed that he looked something like
Major Pierson," said Florry.

174 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" Then it was the major's brother, and he came
from Nassau with us on board of the steamer. I
hope neither of them will get into any trouble, for
all this country is in a very excited condition,"
said the captain, as he carefully opened the
window at the side of the apartment.

This was quite as singular a movement as bolting
the door ; and the fair girl, who had heard some of
the energetic conversation in the hall, began to
think that something strange was about to trans-
pire in the mansion. Her father spent some time
in looking out the window ; for it was now quite
dark, and he could not make out objects out-
doors very readily.

The window opened upon a lawn covered with
orange, magnolia, and other ornamental trees.
The house was low on the ground, and it was
not more than three feet from the window-sill
to the lawn. Without explaining any thing,
Captain Passford took his daughter's trunk,
carried it to the window, and then dropped it
upon the lawn beneath.

"Now, Florry, I want you to get out at this
window ; and you can easily step down upon the
trunk," continued the owner of the Bellevite.

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER 175

" Get out of the window, papa ? " demanded the
maiden, with a look of intense astonishment at
her father.

" Do just as I tell you, my child, and don't ask
any questions now ; for all will be explained to
your satisfaction," replied he, as he assisted her
to a chair, by which she mounted to the window-
stool.

She dropped lightly down upon the trunk,
which had been placed in a convenient position
for her, and then to the ground. Her father
followed her ; though he stopped long enough to
close the window after him, and leave every thing
as it had been before.

" I think I can understand something about it,
papa," said Florry, as the captain joined her,
" But am I to leave this house, where I have been
for six months, without saying good-by to uncle or
aunt?"

" Not a word to any one, my child. I am sorry
it must be so ; but this is a time of war, and I
have no time to stand on ceremonies," replied her
father, as he picked up the trunk, and tossed it on
his shoulder as though he had done- that kind of
work before.

176 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

He walked off with a firm step, in spite of his
burden, taking the nearest way to the wharf where
he had left the Bellevite. The distance was con-
siderable, and the millionnaire was obliged to stop
and rest two or three times ; and, though Florry
insisted upon helping him, he would not allow her
to do so. It was nearly ten o'clock at night when
the wanderers reached their destination, and were
hailed by the vigilant watch on the deck.

" Florence ! " called the owner of the steamer
when he was challenged, and gave the word that
had been agreed upon.

" Pass, Florence," replied the sentinel.

All the officers were still ujdou board, and Florry
received a very respectful greeting from all of
them. Her trunk was carried to her stateroom ;
and she soon followed it, for the excitement of the
afternoon and evening was rather too much for
her.

" Is Percy still on board, Breaker ? " asked the
owner.

" He is not : he lounged about the deck till
nearly night, and then he said he would go up and
see his mother, to which I had not the least
objection," replied the commander.

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER 177

" I have no objection to his going where he
pleases now, but the worst of it is that Christy
appears to have gone with him. They must have
been gone three hours, and I begin to be worried
about my son. But no matter for that now: we
are ready to sail, and it is necessary to get out
into the bay, at least without any loss of time,
Breaker. The tide is right now."

Captain Breaker had not expected to leave so
soon, and thought it probable that the vessel
would remain where she was for several days or a
week. But he had caused the fires to be banked,
so as to be ready for any emergency, though he
did not anticipate any ; for he reasoned that the
powerful influence of the owner's brother would
be enough to protect the steamer from interfer-
ence.

The commander called all hands, and the owner
requested that the work be done with as little
noise as possible. In less than an hour the Belle-
vite was floating in the deep waters of the bay.
But the owner was far from easy ; though, in spite
of all his brother had said, he felt that the steamer
was safe for the present : he was not a little
alarmed at the continued absence of Christy.

178 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Captain Passford had formed a very decided
opinion in regard to Major Pierson, and he did not
believe that Percy had seen the end of his troubles
in the matter of joining the army. It was not
over a three hours' run in a reasonably fast
steamer from the forts to the city, and at least ten
hours had elapsed since the Bellevite came up.
Possibly the major might wonder whether or not
the coming of Captain Passford would disturb the
residence of Miss Florence at the mansion of her
uncle. It was not improbable that he had, or
might, come up to look out for his interests.

If he came across his brother Percy after he left
the steamer, he was likely to make a soldier of
him ; and it was unfortunate that Christy had
been his companion when last seen.

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 179

CHAPTER XVI

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER

Christy Passford had not gone out of his
uncle's house for any particular purpose ; though
he saw Percy, and joined him as he left the
mansion. He had visited Glenfield before, and
he had some curiosity to see familiar objects
again. It was nearly dark, and he wondered
where the major's brother was going at that
hour.

" Where are you going now, Mr. Percy," he
asked, as he approached the agent.

" I thought I would go up to the house and
see my mother," replied Percy. " Won't you go
over with me ? It is only a short distance."

" No, I think not : I don't care to go a great
way from the house."

" It isn't above half a mile, and I am coming
directly back again."

180 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I will not go as far as you are going, but I
will take a little stroll as far as the gate. Where
is your brother now ? "

" I suppose he is at the fort. If I thought he
were about here, I should not leave the steamer.
He has got it into his head that I must join the
army, and he will never be satisfied till I am
there."

" He is certainly very much in earnest, judging
by his conduct on board of the Bellevite," added
Christy.

" He pretends to believe that my not joining
the army will be a disgrace to the family ; but, if
my father don't think so, Lindley need not worry
his head about the matter."

" Your brother seems to have a very strong
will of his own," suggested Christy.

" He will send me into the army in spite of my
father and mother ; and, for that reason, I don't
mean to go where he can put his finger on me.
Of course, the Bellevite is going into the
Confederate navy."

Percy looked his companion in the face, as
though he had been thinking of something which
would benefit his own case.

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 181

" You will have to ask my uncle about that,"
replied Christy, not willing to say any more than
was necessary on this subject.

" There can be no doubt of it, and I would
rather be in the navy than in the army. I hope
your uncle will be able to do something for me."

" I don't know whether he can or not. For
aught I know, the steamer may be sent to
England, or to some other country," replied
Christy, as they approached the gate, which was
to be the end in that direction of his walk.

" At any rate, I mean to stay on board of the
Bellevite ; and I shall take my chances of getting
a position of some kind on board of her."

" What kind of a position do you desire ? "

" I am willing to be one of the lieutenants, or
something of that kind," replied Percy with
becoming condescension.

" One of the lieutenants ! " exclaimed Christy.
"Of course you know all about handling a ship
or a steamer."

"I can't say I do. In fact, I never went on
the sea till I went to Nassau with my father,"
replied Percy candidly. "But I can soon learn
all about it."

182 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" A nice lieutenant you will make ! Why
don't you apply for the position of commander
of her?"

"I am willing to take a subordinate position
till I learn something about the business."

"That's right! Be humble at first, and you
will be great afterwards."

" I should have been willing to go into the
army as a captain, or even as a lieutenant ; but I
couldn't quite stand it to go in as a common
soldier, while my brother made a beginning as a
major."

"I think I will not go any farther, Mr. Percy,"
said Christy, as he halted near the gate.

"Oh, don't leave me now, Mr. Pierson! We
are half way to my father's house," Percy objected.

" I can't go any farther, for I may be wanted."

"You will be safe enough, Mr. Pierson. My
mother is at home, and she will be glad to see
you.

" I think I will not see your mother to-night,"
added Christy, as he turned, and began to retrace
his steps towards the mansion of his uncle.

They had halted in the road near the gate, and
on both sides of it was a thick undergrowth of

Four Men Sprang in Front of Him (Page 183)

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 183

small trees and bushes ; and in the shade of this
foliage it had become quite dark. Christy had
not taken three steps before four men sprang out
of the thicket in front of him, all of them armed
with muskets, and wearing a uniform of gray.
Two placed themselves in front of Christy ;
while the other two rushed after Percy, who
took to his heels as soon as he saw them.

The gate was an impediment to the latter ; and
before he could get over or through it, the two
soldiers had laid violent hands on him. He
could offer no effectual resistance, and it was
evident that he was frightened out of his wits ; for
he looked and acted like the ghost of despair
itself. The two men immediately tied his hands
behind him ; and, though they did not use any
undue harshness, they did their work thoroughly.

Christy was even more astonished than his
companion at this sharp discipline. He did not
regard himself as a fit subject for such treatment,
and he could not understand why he had been
subjected to it. He was not liable to do military
duty, and Major Pierson could hardly think of
pressing him into the service of the Confederacy.
His two captors were as prompt in their action

184 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

as the two who had taken Percy, and his hands
were also tied behind him.

" Good-evening, gentlemen," said Christy, as
soon as the soldiers had bound him, and then
stood in front to take a look at him. " Don't it
strike you that you are indulging in rather sharp
practice ? "

" We haven't any thing to do with the practice :
all we have to do is to obey orders," replied one
of the men.

" But I think you have mistaken your orders,"
suggested the prisoner.

" I think not : if we have, we will set things to
rights at once," replied the man, who appeared to
be the sergeant in command of the party. " But
our business is not so much with you as with the
other young fellow."

Upon this, Christy was conducted to the gate,
where Percy had not yet recovered any of his self-
possession. For his own part, he felt that a mis-
take had been made, which must soon be corrected.
He knew nothing of the wide difference of
opinion which had suddenly become apparent
between his father and his uncle, and he was sure
that the latter could soon effect his release.

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 185

" This is an outrage ! " exclaimed Percy, who
perhaps felt that it was necessary for him to say
something, now that Christy had come within
hearing distance.

"Perhaps it is, Mr. Pierson," replied the
sergeant. " But that isn't any of my business."

" You will be held responsible for it, sir ! "
protested Percy.

" Perhaps I shall ; but I shall obey my orders,"
replied the soldier doggedly.

" Who gave you your orders ? " demanded
Percy imperatively.

" Well, I don't belong to the class in catechism,
and I don't answer all the questions that are put
to me."

"My father will have something to say about
this business."

" He can say all he likes, but he need not say
it to me ; for I only obey my orders, and I have
nothing to do with giving them."

" What are you going to do with me ? " asked
Percy, when he found he could make nothing of
the sergeant.

" I don't know what they will do with you ; but
I reckon they won't shoot you, as they might a

186 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

fellow whose father was not a man of some con-
sequence," replied the sergeant, as he ordered
one of his men to open the gate.

" Shoot me ! " exclaimed, Percy, evidently
appalled at the bare possibility of such an event.

"I reckon they won't do that," added the
soldier.

" This is my father's plantation, and my mother
is in the house," continued Percy.

" She can stay there : we shall not meddle with
her."

" But you are going to take me away from her."

" You look like a stout young fellow, and you
ought to be able to get along for a while without
your mother," chuckled the sergeant. " You
belong in the army ; and I reckon you will have
to go back to it, in spite of your mother."

" I don't belong to the army," protested Percy.

" Well, they call you a deserter, anyhow."

Percy seemed to be overcome by this statement,
and Christy thought there was something more
of his story than he had told on board of the
Bellevite. It was possible, after all, that Major
Pierson was not as much of a brute as he had
appeared to be. But, if his companion was a

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 187

deserter, he certainly did not come under that
head himself, and he could not understand why
he had been arrested.

" I suppose you don't claim me as a deserter, do
you ?" asked Christy good-naturedly.

"I don't think they do," replied the sergeant,
as pleasantly as he had spoken himself.

"Then, why do you arrest me?"

" My orders were to arrest any person with Mr.
Pierson ; and that is all I know about your case,
and I am very sorry to give you any annoyance.
Things are a little mixed, and I hope they will
soon get them levelled down. If you don't object,
we will march."

" I suppose you will march all the same, if I do
object," added Christy. " I was not aware that it
was a crime here to be in the company of that
young man."

" I reckon I was ordered to arrest you as a mat-
ter of precaution ; and I dare say they will let you
return as soon as we report to the major," said the
sergeant, leading his prisoner through the gateway.

The other men took Percy by the arm ; and,
after they had closed the gate, they followed the
road for a considerable distance, and then struck

188 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

across the fields. Not far ahead, Christy saw many
lights ; and he concluded that this must be the
location of the mansion of Colonel Pierson, the
father of Percy, and for some reason best known
to himself, the sergeant desired to avoid going
very near it.

A march of a short distance farther across the
field brought them to a road, which they followed
till they came to a wagon drawn by two horses.
The animals were hitched at the side of the road,
and no one seemed to be in charge of the team.
But the sergeant halted his party at this point ;
and, leaving the prisoners in charge of his men, he
went to the wagon.

" Major Pierson," said he ; but no answer came
to his question, and he repeated it with no better
success.

Then he mounted the seat in front of the
wagon, and looked over into the body of it. Then
he reached over ; and a moment later the form of
a man was seen to rise from a quantity of hay
which filled the bodj^.

" Is that you, Spottswood ? " demanded the
rising form.

" Yes, sir, I am here ; and I have two prisoners.

CHRISTY FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER 189

One of them is your brother, and I don't know
who the other is," replied the sergeant.

" Are you sure that one of them is my brother ? "
asked the major.

"I am as sure as I can be, for I heard the other
fellow call him Percy two or three times before I
stepped in front of them."

"Don't you know who the other one is?"

" I haven't the least idea. I arrested him as
you told me, but I did not question him."

The major ordered him to put his prisoners into
the wagon.

190 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XVII

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED

Two of the soldiers were placed at the rear of
the wagon, one took his place on the hay with
Percy, while the major and the sergeant seated
themselves on the cushion in front. Spottswood
took the reins; and the officer told him to drive
on, without saying a word to the prisoners.

It was quite dark ; and Christy had not the
least idea where he was, or where he was going.
He could see that Major Pierson had sent this
party to arrest his brother, as Percy seemed to
fear that he would do, and had remained and slept
away the time in the wagon himself. He had
been introduced to the major, and had been
treated with " distinguished consideration " by
him. In view of the possible relations between
him and Florry, he did not feel much concerned
about his own safety, though he was sorry to have
his father and sister worry over his absence.

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED 191

" Then, it seems you have been in the army,
after all," said he to his fellow-prisoner, after they
had gone some distance.

" I never belonged to the army," he replied
decidedly.

" Did you put your name down ? "

" Yes, I did ; but I supposed I was to be a
captain, or something of that sort. When I found
I must go as a common soldier, mixed up with all
sorts of people, I couldn't stand it. I applied for
my discharge ; but they would not give it to me,
and I went home without it."

" That looks very much like desertion," added
Christy, and the major went up somewhat in his
estimation.

" But it was not desertion ; for I applied for my
discharge, and all they had to do was to give it
to me. They understood it so, for they did not
come to the house after me," argued Percy.
" Then, when my father went to Nassau, he took
me with him. But the surgeon said I was not
fit for the army, for I had indications of varicose
veins. My father sent the certificate to the
authorities, and applied for my discharge."

" Was it ever granted ? "

192 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I suppose it was, but I don't know."

" If it had been, your brother would know
about it."

" Will your uncle make you join the army,
Mr. Pierson ? "

" No : my uncle has no authority over me, and
he cannot make me join the army," replied Christy.

" Where is your father ? "

" He was at my uncle's plantation. I think we
have kept up this farce long enough, Percy,"
said Christy, laughing. " My father is the owner
of the Bellevite."

" What did you tell me your name was Percy
Pierson for ? " demanded the other prisoner.

" For the same reason that I told you the
steamer belonged to the Chinese government,
and a dozen other things of the same sort."

" What is your name, then ? "

" Christopher Passford ; but I am commonly
called Christy."

" Then, you have been fooling me ? "

" You knew very well that I had been fooling
you."

"Then, you are the son of the owner of the
Bellevite."

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED 193

" I am."

" Then, you can get me a place on board of her."
" Perhaps I can. We will see about that."
Christy doubted if their political opinions
would permit them to serve on the deck of the
same vessel, but lie did not suggest any thing
of this kind. He had been introduced to Major
Pierson under his real name, and he was certain
to be identified by him as soon as the light
permitted him to see his face ; and he had made
the best of it by telling Percy the truth before
•he found it out himself.

" You haven't told me who the other prisoner
is, Spottswood," said the major, when they had
ridden some distance in silence.

" I don't know who he is," replied the sergeant.
" I never saw him before in my life, so far as I
know."

" Didn't he tell you who he was ? "
" He did not, and I did not ask him any
questions."

That was all that was said about it ; and the
major relapsed into silence, and Christy concluded
that he had gone to sleep again. The wagon
continued on the journey, though at a very slow

194 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

pace, for the road could hardly have been any
worse. At the end of about two hours more,
the vehicle halted near a sheet of water which
looked as though it might be a river, or an arm
of Mobile Bay.

The road appeared to end at a rude sort of
wharf; but there was no person in the vicinity,
no house, and no craft of any kind in the water,
so far as Christy could see when he was helped
out of the wagon. Percy was assisted to the
ground also ; and the two soldiers at the rear of
the wagon, who had gone to sleep, were waked,
and ordered to get out.

" We shall not want the wagon any more,"
said the major. " You can send Boyce back to
the house with it."

" It is five miles from here, and he will not get
back till nearly morning."

" We can wait for him. The Leopard will not
be here for some time."

" I think we ought to send two men, major,"
suggested the sergeant.

"Why two?"

" For company : one of them may get asleep,
and two will get back sooner than one."

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED 195

" They might as well all of them go, for they
can do nothing here," added the major with a
terrific yawn.

Two men were sent away with the wagon.
The most of the hay in it was taken out ; and
with it the superior officer made a bed for himself,
and was soon asleep again. The sergeant and
the remaining soldier took their knapsacks from
a tree where they had put them before, and it
was decided that one of them might sleep while
the other kept guard over the prisoners. Spotts-
wood was the first to take his turn, and his
companion stretched himself on the planks of the
wharf.

The sergeant brought out the knapsacks of the
two absent soldiers, and gave the blankets to
Christy and Percy, both of whom were sleepy
enough to follow the example of the others.
Spottswood assisted them very kindly, spreading
out the blankets for them, and covering them
afterwards; for, as their hands were tied behind
them, they were almost helpless.

The two prisoners soon dropped asleep ; and
they knew nothing more till after daylight, when
Christy was waked by the hissing of steam at the

196 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

rude wharf. The two soldiers who had been sent
away with the wagon were asleep on the planks,
though neither had a blanket. The major had not
been disturbed by the noise, for he was farther
from it than the others.

With some difficult}'' Christy got upon his feet,
and looked about him. A tug-boat lay at the
wharf, with the steam escaping from her pipe.
There was nothing else to be seen in the vicinity.
The sheet of water, which was apparently half a
mile wide, had a bend some distance from the
wharf, so that he could not see any farther; but
he had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion
that the water was an arm of the bay.

On board of the Leopard, for the name was on
the front of the pilot-house, he could see only two
men, one of whom came out of the engine-room ;
and he judged that they were the pilot and
engineer. Doubtless the former was also the
captain of the craft.

While one of the two men seated himself on
the rail, the other came on shore. He was a man
of very small stature, and looked as though his
health was very poor. Indeed, his step was quite
feeble, and he seemed to have hardly strength

MAJOR P1EHSON IS PUZZLED 197

enough to handle his frame. As the tug had just
come in, doubtless he had been on duty the whole
or a portion of the night, which may have
explained his exhausted condition.

" Good-morning, Captain Pecklar," said the
sentinel on duty at the wharf.

" Good morning, Tubbs. Where is Major Pier-
son ? " asked the captain of the Leopard, in a very
faint voice.

" He is still asleep, and he has his bed at the
foot of that tree yonder," replied the sentinel,
pointing at it. " How do you find yourself this
morning? Any better?"

" About the same ; I am about used up for this
world," replied Captain Pecklar, continuing his
painful walk towards the tree indicated.

" Is that the captain of the Leopard ? " asked
Christy.

"Yes, poor fellow! He came down here two
years ago from somewhere North, almost gone in
consumption. He got a little better ; but he is
worse again, and I don't believe he will last much
longer," replied the sentry.

"Has he been out all night on the steamer?"
inquired Christy, who felt that it was his duty to

198 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

obtain all the information he could in regard
to this steamer, as it was in the service of the
commander of Fort Gaines.

" I don't know where he has been ; but I
suppose he has been on duty all night, and that
don't agree with him at all. We came up here
yesterday afternoon — Well, never mind what we
have been about. I forgot that you were a pris-
oner ; and you may be a Yankee, for aught I know."

Before Christy had time to make any reply, the
sentinel walked away, and the major was seen
coming from his bed with Captain Pecklar. They
went to the wharf together, where they seated
themselves on a box which lay there. The pris-
oner turned away from them ; and the major took
no notice of him, and did not appear to see him,
or he would certainly have identified him.

Christy's bed was just behind them, when they
had seated themselves ; and he dropped down on
his blanket, rolled it about him as well as he
could, and then pretended to be asleep, as Percy
was still, in spite of the noise of the escaping
steam on board of the boat.

" What have you done with your men, Captain
Pecklar?" asked the major.

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED 199

" I have just told you that the steamer had
changed her position," replied the captain.

" I did not understand you," returned the major.
" Do you mean that she has left the wharf? "

" I do : she was out at least two miles from the
shore," added Captain Pecklar.

" Two miles from the shore ! " exclaimed Major
Pierson. " What does that mean ? "

" I don't know, sir. Lieutenant Dallberg did
not know what to make of it ; and he decided to
take his two men to the shore, and investigate the
matter. He directed me to report this to you."

"But when did the Bellevite leave the wharf ? "
asked the major, evidently very much puzzled at
what he regarded as the singular conduct of the
owner of the steamer.

" I don't know, sir. It was after ten o'clock in
the evening when we first saw her out in the bay."

" Was she at anchor? "

" I think not. I was ordered not to go Very
near her, and I could not tell."

" Do you know whether or not Captain Passford
is on board of her ? "

" Of course I do not. In fact, I know nothing
at all about her, except that she has left the

200 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

wharf and come out into the bay. I think I
heard her screw in motion, though I am not sure ;
and that makes me think that she is not at anchor.
Mr. Dallberg thought he ought to go on shore,
visit Colonel Passford, and obtain further informa-
tion if he could."

The major ordered the captain to embark the
party at once.

MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD 201

CHAPTER XVIII

THE MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD

If Major Pierson had had any curiosity at all in
regard to the person captured by the soldiers with
his brother, he appeared to have forgotten all
about him. He took no notice of him after he
left his bed of hay, but then he was evidently very
much disturbed by the fact that the Bellevite had
left the wharf.

Christy Passford was quite as much astonished
as the major when he learned that the steamer had
left her berth at the wharf, and he was utterly
unable to account for the change of position. The
movement had been made since he left his uncle's
mansion ; for at that time the two brothers were
still in the library, and he had no knowledge
whatever of what was passing between them.

The major ordered all his men on board the
Leopard, and directed the sergeant to conduct the

202 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

prisoners to the deck of the tug. Percy was
waked when he was wanted, and lie had slept
soundly till that time. With their hands still tied
behind them, they were conducted to the after-
deck of the tug, where there was a small space
from which opened the stateroom of the captain.

" I might as well jump overboard first as last,"
said Percy bitterly, as he seated himself in the
place assigned to him by Spottswood.

" It is hardly worth your while to do that, Percy.
I don't think your brother is likely to do you any
harm," replied Christy.

" I would rather be drowned in deep water than
be sent into the army as a common soldier," said
the victim, as he went to the rail and looked over
into the water.

But his companion was perfectly confident that
he would not jump overboard while his hands
were tied behind him ; for the chances were all
against him, though he might be willing to punish
his brother by making a demonstration in the
direction indicated.

" The water is too cold at this time in the morn-
ing, Percy," said Christy with a smile. "I think
you ought to give your brother the credit of having

MORNING TRIP OP THE LEOPARD 203

the reputation of your family at heart. If I
had a brother, I had about as lief have him drown
himself as desert from the army."

" I don't call it deserting," replied Percy rather
warmly.

" You can call it what you like, but that is what
it was."

"It is no use to talk with you about it. Where
are we going now ? " demanded Percy impatiently.

" We are going to look out for the Bellevite,
and perhaps you can get on board her again,"
suggested Christy.

" Do you think I can ? " asked the deserter with
renewed interest.

" I am afraid your brother will look out too
sharply for you. He has you now, and he will
hold on this time."

Christy had little sympathy for his companion.
He was an able-bodied young man of eighteen,
with influence enough behind him to give him a
good show in the ranks if he did his duty. But
he was the youngest child of his father and
mother ; and he had evidently been spoiled by
indulgence, so that he was not fit for the stern
duties of the present emergency.

204 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

The steamer seemed to be very short handed,
and doubtless part of the work on board was
done by the soldiers, for the tug seemed to be
in the employ of the fort. There was no crew,
so far as Christy could judge, except the captain
and engineer; and both of these seemed to be
invalids, for the latter was so lame he could
hardly go. The soldiers hauled in the fasts,
and seemed to be at home with this sort of
work.

The Leopard backed out from the wharf, came
about, and headed down the inlet, or whatever
it was. She had hardly left the pier before
Major Pierson appeared on the quarter-deck,
which had been assigned for the use of the
prisoners. His gaze was first fixed on Percy ;
for the other prisoner was looking astern, in order
to obtain some idea of where he was, if he could,
for he thought such information might be of
some use to him in the future.

"Well, Percy, how goes it now?" asked the
major.

Christy heard the voice, which was the .first he
knew of the presence of a third person, and
he turned about. The major started back as

MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD 205

though he had seeo his father with his hands tied
behind him by his order.

" Good Heaven ! Mr. Passford ! " exclaimed the
major ; and Christy was satisfied that his aston-
ishment was sincere.

" That is certainly my name : I haven't for-
gotten it, if I am a prisoner with my hands tied
behind me," replied Christy, as good-naturedly as
though he had had no grievance.

" This is all a mistake ! " ejaculated Major
Pierson, evidently greatly disturbed by the dis-
covery he had just made, as he rushed upon the
prisoner, turned him around, and proceeded to
untie the line which bound him.

"I thought it must be a mistake," added
Christy.

"You must have been with this brother of
mine. I told Spottswood to arrest Percy, for
he has disgraced himself and his family ; and I
told him to capture whoever might be with him,
for I did not care to leave behind an informant
of what had been done, for it would only have
made my mother feel badly. That is really the
whole of it. I am very sorry indeed that you
were subjected to this annoyance, Mr. Passford;

206 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and I assure you I will do all in my power to
atone for my offence."

" I am satisfied, Major Pierson ; and the only
thing that disturbs me is the fact that my father
and sister will worry about my absence," replied
Christy.

"You are no longer a prisoner, Mr. Passford,
and you are at liberty to go where you please."

" But my limits are rather circumscribed on
board this tug."

"But I will soon put you on board your father's
steamer."

" Thank you, sir ; that is all I can desire."

" Can't you do as much as that for me,
Lincly?" asked Percy, when he saw that his
brother was about to leave him.

" If you say that you will return to your place
in your regiment, I will release you at once,"
replied the brother.

" I won't do that," answered Percy without any
hesitation. "But I want to go into the navy.
I am better fitted for a sailor than I am for a
soldier."

" The first thing is to wipe out the disgrace
you have cast upon yourself and your family,"

MOKNING TKIP OF THE LEOPAKD 207

added the major warmly. " I induced your
officers to look upon it as a freak of a boy, and
by returning to your duty you can soon wipe out
the stigma."

" I shall not become a common soldier if I can
help it. My father and mother will stand by me,
if the rest of you do not," said Percy.

" That's enough ; and you will go back to the
army, whether or not you are willing," added
the major, as he turned on his heel.

Christy followed him to the forecastle of the
tug, where a rather heavy gun was mounted,
which took up most of the space.

" Take a seat, Mr. Passford," said the major,
giving him a stool, while he took another himself.
" It looks as though your father changed his plans
rather suddenly last evening."

" I was not aware of it," replied Christy.

"The Bellevite was taken from the wharf
where you landed some time in the evening, and
came out into the bay, where she seems to be
waiting for something, I don't know what. As I
understand the matter, your father has sold the
steamer to the Confederacy."

"Where did you learn that, Major Pierson?"

208 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

asked Christy, who had not heard any such
story.

" You certainly came from Nassau ? "

"We did."

" And you met my father there ? "

" I did not meet him, but my father did."

"I understood that my father bought this
steamer, or that he bargained for her in some
manner, for the use of the Confederacy."

" I was not present at the interview between
your father and mine, and I do not know just
what passed between them."

" And I understood that he sent Percy to act as
a sort of agent for the delivery of the vessel ;
though it still puzzles me to comprehend how my
father should do such a thing, especially when he
knew that the boy would be arrested as a deserter
if he showed his face anywhere near Mobile."

Christy felt that his tongue might be a danger-
ous member, and he was not disposed to talk about
the matter at all. All the information which the
major had derived from Captain Passford and
others had been accepted from inference ; for the
owner of the Bellevite certainly had not said that
the steamer was for the use of the Confederacv,

MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD 209

and he would have blown her up rather than
admit any thing of the sort.

" It looked to me as though every thing was all
right about the steamer, or I would not have let
her pass the fort ; and the commander at Fort
Morgan was as well satisfied as I was, after I had
explained the situation to him."

Major Pierson looked at Christy as though he
expected him to talk on the subject before them ;
but the latter would not say any thing, for he saw
that he was in an extremely delicate position. He
made some sort of answers, but they amounted to
nothing.

" I cannot understand why Captain Passford has
moved the Bellevite from the wharf," continued
the major.

"I am as much in the dark as you are, sir. 1
spent the afternoon with my sister, and my uncle
Homer and my father were in the library together
all this time," replied Christy. " I have no idea
what they were talking about. Just at dark, I
saw Percy pass the window ; and I went out for a
little walk. I was arrested by your men soon after.
Not a word had been said in my hearing about
moving the steamer. That is all I know about the

210 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

matter, and I am as much surprised as you can be
at the change which has been made."

"I have no doubt that every thing connected
with the steamer is all right. I know that your
father is a Northern man, but I am confident that
he will be on the right side in this conflict," added
the major.

" He will certainly be on the right side," said
Christy ; but he had gone far enough to know that
there were two right sides to the question, and
one seemed to him to be as honest, earnest, and
resolute as the other.

" We shall soon know something more about it,"
added the major, evidently disappointed at not
being able to obtain any information from the
owner's son.

The tug went out into the bay, and then
changed her course to the eastward. One of the
soldiers went to the galley, and breakfast was
served to the major and his guest in the captain's
room; and Percy was released long enough to
take the meal with them. But he was sullen, and
even morose, in view of the fate that awaited
him.

" Boat just come round that point," said the

MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD 211

captain from the pilot-house, when the party had
returned to the forecastle.

Captain Pecklar seemed to be hardly able to
speak ; he was so exhausted by his night watch,
and by constant fits of coughing, that he could
hardly make himself heard.

" What boat is it, Pecklar ? " asked the major,
straining his eyes to discover it. " I don't see it."

" Take my glass, and you can see it," added the
captain, more faintly than before. "I don't think
I can stand it any longer, Major Pierson."

" But we can't get along without you, Pecklar.
We haven't another hand that knows how to
steer,'" replied the major, as he hastened up to the
pilot-house, followed by Christ}'.

Captain Pecklar had fainted and fallen from the
wheel.

212 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XIX

THE REPORT OF THE SCOUT FROM THE SHORE

Captain Pecklar had held out as long as it
was possible for him to stand it, and he had
only given up when his senses deserted him.
Major Pierson raised him from his position on
the floor of the pilot-house, and, with Christy's
assistance, bore him out into the air.

The wheel had gone over when the sick man
could no longer hold it, and the tug was begin-
ning to whirl about in an erratic manner, when
the major rang the bell to stop the engine.
The captain was carried down to his room, and
put into his berth, where one of the soldiers
was detailed to act as his nurse.

"I haven't a man on board that knows the
first thing about handling a steamboat ; and I am
not a bit wiser myself," said the major, when
the sick man had been disposed of. Every man

THE REPORT OF THE SCOUT 213

that is fit to be made into a soldier is sent to
the army ; and we have nothing but the lame,
and the halt, and the blind to handle these boats."

" It does not look like good policy," added
Christy.

" Dallberg and his two men are soldiers, and
they know no more about a steamboat than the
rest of us," continued Major Pierson. "It looks
as though we should have to stay here till some
other boat comes along ; and that may be in three
days or a week, for steamers have no occasion to
come up here now."

" Perhaps you may find a pilot among the men
in that boat," suggested Christy, as he looked
about the pilot-house, where the conversation
took place.

The captain's glass was lying on a shelf in
front of the wheel, and he took a look through
it in order to find the boat. After searching in
every direction, he discovered the boat, which
was pulled by two men, with a third in the
stern-sheets. He indicated the position of it to
the major, and gave him the glass.

" That's Dallberg, without any doubt ; but he
must be five miles off. He can't reach the

214 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

steamer for a long time," said the major, when
he had examined the boat. " But we shall be no
better off than we are now when she gets here,
for not one of those in it is a sailor."

Christy was not a little interested in the
situation ; for he thought his father must have
gone on board of the Bellevite, or she would
not have changed her position. It was all a
mystery to him as well as to the commandant of
Fort Gaines, and the boat in the distance had been
to the shore for the purpose of investigating it.

He had an idea in his head, and he continued
to examine the interior of the pilot-house till he
found a number of paper rolls in a drawer, which
looked very much like local charts of the bay.
He examined several of them, and found one
which covered the portion of the waters around
him. He had noted the direction taken by the
Bellevite the day before, and he had no difficulty
in placing the inlet where she had moored at the
wharf.

"What have you got there, Mr. Passford?"
asked the major, who had been looking on the
floor, thinking what he should do in his present
dilemma.

"You a Sailok?" (Page 215)

THE EEPORT OF THE SCOUT 215

"It is a chart of these waters, which appears
to have been considerably improved with a pen
and ink," replied Christy, still examining it.

" That is the work of Captain Pecklar. They
call him the best pilot for Mobile Bay there is
about here, though he has been here but two
years."

"Here is the inlet, or river, where we passed
the night ; and the captain has marked the wharf
on it."

" What good is the chart without a man that
knows how to steer a steamer ? " asked the major,
who was becoming very impatient in the presence
of the delay that confronted him ; for the illness of
Captain Pecklar deprived him of the ability to
do any thing, even to return to the fort.

" You forget that I am a sailor, Major Pierson,"
said Christy.

" You a sailor ? I thought you were the son
of a millionnaire, who could not possibly know
any thing except how to eat and sleep," replied
the soldier, laughing.

" I have steered the Bellevite for a great many
hundred miles, and my father says I am com-
petent to do duty as a quartermaster."

216 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" You astonish me ; and, as we are both engaged
in the same good cause, I am heartily delighted
to find that you are a sailor."

" Probably I shall astonish you still more before
we have got through. With this chart before
me, I have no doubt I can find my way about
here in the Leopard," said Christy.

" Then I give you the command of the steamer
in the absence of Captain Pecklar," continued the
major. " This boat and another are in the service
of the forts ; and if you don't want to join
the army with Percy, perhaps I can obtain the
appointment for you, especially as you are hardly
old enough to go into the ranks. We will see
about that."

"We will leave all that open for future action,
if you please, Major Pierson," replied Christy,
as he rang the bell for the steamer to go ahead.

The major watched him with the most intense
interest, as though he feared that the young man
would prove to be a failure as a steamboat captain.
But the steamer went ahead at the sound of the
bell, and in a minute or two Christy had her on
her course in the direction of the approaching
boat. He examined the chart very carefully, and

THE REPORT OF THE SCOUT 217

satisfied himself that there was water enough for
the tug anywhere outside the headlands which
projected into the bay.

The Leopard held her course as steadily as
though the sick captain were still at the wheel ;
and the major was entirely satisfied with the
qualifications of the new master, after he had
watched him for a while.

"Spottswood, how is the captain?" called the
major from the pilot-house.

" Just the same : he don't seem to be any
better," replied the sergeant.

" He ought to have a doctor ; for the poor fellow
may die here, away from any proper attendance,"
said the major, with more feeling than the new
captain supposed he possessed.

" There is a very skilful surgeon on board of
the Bellevite," suggested Christy. " Dr. Linscott
served in the army in Mexico, and had a large
practice in New York."

" Then he shall see Pecklar. Dr. Linscott is
just the sort of a surgeon we want in our army ;
and I suppose he would not be on board of the
Bellevite if he was not of our way of thinking,"
added the major.

218 TAKEN" BY THE ENEMY

Christy knew he was nothing but a Union man,
and not of the way of thinking which the soldier
suggested : so he said nothing. The Leopard was
a faster tug than the one which had come off from
Fort Gaines, and she came up with the boat which
contained Lieutenant Dallberg and his two men,
the latter of whom were nearly exhausted with
the long pull they had taken ; for, as they were not
sailors, they did not row to the best advantage.

The new captain rang the bell to stop her, as
soon as the boat came near, and the party came on
board. The two men seated themselves on the
rail as though they never intended to do another
stroke of work, for they had been using the oars
most of the time since the evening before.

"Come up here, Dallberg," called the major
from the pilot-house.

The lieutenant looked as though he had just
been through one war ; for he had slept none the
night before, and had been on duty without inter-
mission. He came to the hurricane-deck, and
entered the pilot-house, where he dropped on the
sofa abaft the wheel as though he were not in
much better condition than the captain when he
fell at his post.

THE REPORT OF THE SCOUT 219

"You have made "a night of it, Dallberg," the
major began, seating himself by the side of the
lieutenant.

" I am about used up, major. I believe I walked
ten miles on shore ; and I am not as strong as I
wish I was," replied Mr. Dallberg. " But I found
out all I wanted to know, and I expected the
Leopard would be somewhere near the creek."

" I beg your pardon, Major Pierson," said
Christy, who was standing at the wheel. " What
am I to do now ? "

" I will tell you in a moment. — Can you tell me,
Dallberg, where the Bellevite is at the present
time ? " asked the major, turning to the lieu-
tenant.

" She seems to be running up and down across
the head of the bay. She is beyond that point
now, and you will see her when you go within a
mile of the land," replied the lieutenant.

" Have you been near her ? "

"Not within a mile of her, I should say."

" All right , you may head her within a mile of
that point, Captain Passford," added the major ;
and Christy rang to go ahead.

When the major applied this high-sounding

220 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

title to the new captain, the lieutenant opened
his eyes a little ; but he asked no questions, for
he had learned as he came on board that Captaiu
Pecklar had fainted at his post.

"Well, what have you been about, Dallberg?"
asked the major rather impatiently, as soon as
the boat was under way again.

" Walking, talking, and rowing most of the
time. As the poet says, ' Things are not what
they seem,' " replied the scout ; for such appeared
to be the duty in which he had been engaged.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Major
Pierson, opening his eyes very wide.

"We discovered that the steamer had left the
wharf last night, and you sent me to investigate
when you started off in that wagon."

" That's so ; and Pecklar reported to me early
this morning that the steamer had left the wharf,
and was standing off and on in the bay."

" I went ashore in the evening, leaving Pecklar
to watch the steamer. I don't know any thing
about his movements."

" He reported to me this morning about day-
light. It is all right as far as he is concerned.
What have you done ? "

THE REPORT OP THE SCOUT 221

"I landed at the wharf where the Bellevite
had been moored, about eleven o'clock, I should
say, for I could not see my watch. I went up to
Colonel Passford's house, and found it all in
commotion."

" What was the matter ?

" Colonel Passford was not there : he had gone
off to procure assistance."

" Assistance for what ? " demanded the major.
"You are sleepy, Dallberg, and you are mixing
your story."

" I am sleepy and exhausted, but I will try to
do better. I saw Mrs. Passford. She told me
that her brother-in-law, Captain Horatio Passford,
had come to the house that day, with his son ;
and you are aware, I believe, that his daughter,
Miss Florence, has been there all winter."

" I know all about that. Go ahead, Dallberg."

" The two brothers had been shut up in the
library all the afternoon, engaged in an earnest
discussion ; though the colonel's wife did not know
what it was about. Captain Horatio left Colonel
Homer in the library some time in the evening,
and the colonel remained there till after ten.
Then it was found that the captain had left the

222 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

house secretly, with his daughter and his son;
though some of the servants had seen the young
man going up the road with Percy Pierson."

" Exactly so ; never mind the young man now.
The captain had left the house, and his daughter
went with him ? " repeated the major, beginning
to be a good deal excited.

" The house was searched, but they could not
be found ; and the young lady's trunk had been
removed from her room. Then the colonel went
down to the wharf, and found that the Bellevite
had left."

Major Pierson sprang to his feet, hardly able to
contain himself.

REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE 223

CHAPTER XX

A REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE

Captain Passford had obtained the idea,
from the fact that Florry did not like to have
the major gaze at her all the time, that she was
not very deeply interested in him ; and the con-
clusion afforded him a great deal of satisfaction.
She did not like to leave her uncle and aunt
and her two cousins without saying good-by to
them ; but she had not said a word about the
military gentleman who was supposed to have
made frequent visits at the mansion on her
account.

When Lieutenant Dallberg informed Major
Pierson that Miss Florry had left the house, and
that her trunk had been removed, indicating that
she did not intend to return, the effect upon
him was very decided. However it may have
been with the young lady, it was plain enough

224 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

that he was stirred to the very centre of his
being.

" Then Captain Passford has left the man-
sion ? " said the Major, after he had strode several
times across the little pilot-house, as he halted in
front of the lieutenant.

" No doubt of that ; the family and the servants
hunted the house all over in search of him and
his daughter," replied Mr. Dallberg with a yawn.

"Well, what did Colonel Passford say about
him ? " demanded the major.

"He was not at the house when I got there.
As I said, he had gone for assistance. I could do
nothing till I had seen him. I sent my men
on ahead to look for him, and then I went
myself. We did not find him till one o'clock in
the morning. He had given up all his horses
for the service, and we had to go on foot,"
continued the lieutenant.

"But you saw Colonel Passford ? "

" I did ; but he had been unable to find the
persons of whom he had been in search, and
he could procure no such assistance as he wished.
I walked back to his mansion with him. At first
he was not inclined to say any thing to me ; but

REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE 225

when I told him that you were over here in
the Leopard to look out for the steamer, he had
more confidence in me."

"Well, what did he say?" asked the major
impatiently.

" He would not say any thing till I had told
him all I knew, including the manner in which
the steamer had passed the forts. By this time
we had reached his house, and we seated our-
selves in the library."

" You need not stop to describe the chairs or
the sofa," interposed the excited commandant
of the fort.

" I will not ; but, if I omit any thing, it will
not be my fault," said the younger officer with a
long gape. " He told me he and his brother had
been discussing the great question, as he called
it, for over six hours ; and they understood each
other perfectly in the end."

" Six hours ! It is a wonder they did not talk
each other to death ! " exclaimed the major.

"At any rate, they talked enough to enable
them to come to a perfect understanding. Col-
onel Passford is as true to the Confederacy as
we all know him to be, but Captain Passford

226 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

is a Yankee to the marrow of his bones ; and
the two brothers could not agree at all on the
political question, though they profess still to
be friends."

" Then the owner of the Bellevite is on the
other side ? "

" No doubt of that ; and the steamer did not
come down here to go into the service of the
Confederacy," added the lieutenant.

"But she will go into it, all the same," said the
major, glancing at the new captain of the Leopard.

Christy was quite as much excited over the
conversation to which he could not help being a
listener, even if he had wished not to be so.
It was clear enough to him that the whole object
of the voyage to Mobile Bay had come out,
and the major needed no further information to
enable him to act with promptness and decision.
The fact that Miss Florry must be on board
of the Bellevite was doubtless an additional
incentive to make him do his entire duty to the
Confederacy.

" I think I have told you the whole story,
Major Pierson," said Lieutenant Dallberg with
another prodigious yawn.

REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE 227

" Then Captain Passford and his daughter are
now on board of the steamer," added the major;
though he seemed to be musing on the fact,
rather than saying it to his companion.

" There can be no doubt of that," replied the
other.

"As Captain Passford is a Yankee at heart,
of course he don't intend to remain in these
waters much longer," continued the major, giving
utterance to his reflections.

" There is something more than that, which I
forgot to tell you ; for you hurried me so that
I could not keep my thoughts about me," inter-
posed the lieutenant.

" What more is there ? You said you had told me
the whole," said the major, with a sneer on his lips.

" The Bellevite is intended for the Yankee
navy, and she has already been tendered to the
Government for that purpose. More yet, Captain
Passford and the commander of the steamer have
offered their services. The owner is sure that
all hands will be volunteers for the service as
soon as she returns from this trip," continued
Dallberg, who had suddenly roused his energies
to the requirements of the situation.

228 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I had no doubt that Captain Passford would
be with his brother in this war," mused the
major.

"He could not be any farther from him. He
came down here after his daughter, and his
brother says he expected to remove him and
his family to the North at the same time."

" His mission will be a failure in every sense,"
added Major Pierson, as though he regarded it as
a matter of course.

" The colonel said his duty to his country and
her cause would not allow him to suffer his
brother to take the steamer back to the North to
be handed over to the Yankee navy."

" That is where he was quite right."

" But the colonel does not like to do any
thing to injure his brother and his two children
who are with him ; and he wished to find Colonel
Dalheath, who could manage the business without
loss to the Confederacy, while he could favor the
captain's escape. But he was satisfied that you
would feel an interest to prevent the departure
of the steamer ; while you would not be willing
to do her owner or his family any injury in their
persons, however it might be in their property."

KEBELLION IN THE T1LOT-HOUSE 229

"I think I understand the situation perfectly
now," said the major, as he went to the front
windows of the pilot-house. " Spottswood ! " he
called to the sergeant.

" Here, sir."

" How is Captain Pecklar ? "

"He has come to himself, but he is no better.
I am afraid he is going to die." replied Spotts-
wood, coming near the bulkhead, and speaking in
a low tone.

" That's bad," added the major, shaking his
head.

" There's the steamer, sir ! " called one of the
soldiers.

The Leopard had just passed a point of land
beyond which the Bellevite was discovered,
apparently going at full speed, and headed to
the south-west. Christy brought his glass to bear
upon her, but he could see nothing which
afforded him any information in regard to her
movements or intentions.

" I suppose it is not difficult to determine what
your father's steamer is waiting in the bay for,
Mr. Passford," said Major Pierson, as he looked
into the face of his pilot.

230 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"I am sure I don't know what he is waiting
for," replied Christy.

"Don't you, indeed?" added the major,
laughing.

" I am sure I do not."

" Then, it has not occurred to you that he
misses you, and don't like to leave without
you?" chuckled the major. "I did not intend
to have you captured by my men, and I gave
them no definite orders to that effect; but, as
things look just now, it is rather fortunate that
I have you on board of the Leopard, not only
for the sake of your father's waiting for you,
but you are a good pilot, and are of great
service to me."

Christy rang the bell with a sudden impulse,
which made it look as though he had not fully
taken in the situation before. The engineer,
though he was one of the army of the disabled
in whole or in part, obeyed the summons of the
bell, and the propeller ceased to revolve.

"What's that for, Captain Passford?" asked
the major good-naturedly.

" With your permission, Major Pierson, I will
resign my office as captain of the Leopard,"

REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE 231

replied Christy, as he stepped back from the
wheel.

"But I cannot give you my permission,"
laughed the major.

" I am sorry to disoblige you, Major Pierson ;
but then I am compelled to resign the position
without your permission," replied Christy with-
out an instant's hesitation ; for he clearly under-
stood what he was doing now, and neither really
nor constructively was he willing to do any thing
in the service of the enemies of the Union.

" But you can't resign in the face of the
enemy, Captain Passford ; and you accepted
the position which I assigned to you," said the
major, beginning to look a little more serious.

" In the face of the enemy ! " exclaimed Christy,
glancing at the Bellevite, as she dashed furiously
over the waves at a distance of not more than
a mile from the tug. " May I ask what you
mean by the enemy, Major Pierson ? "

" You must have heard all the information
which was brought to me by Lieutenant Dall-
berg ; and by this time you are aware that the
steamer yonder is an enemy of the Confederate
States," continued the major.

232 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"She did not come into these waters as an
enemy, or with any warlike intentions, sir. She
came on a peaceful mission ; and now it appears
that my uncle is guilty of treachery towards my
father," replied Christy with deep emotion.

"Do you think it would be right or proper
for your uncle to allow that fine steamer, which
I am told is one of the strongest and fastest ever
built, to be handed over to the Yankee navy ? "
demanded the major, with energy enough to
assure his auditor that he meant all he said.

" I happen to know that my father had several
hundred dollars about him in gold ; and my
uncle would have done no worse to rob him of
that, than to have his steamer taken from him
when it was not engaged in acts of war. In either
case, Homer Passford is a thief and a robber ! "

" That's plain speech, young man," said the
major, biting his lips.

" I meant it should be plain, sir," said Christy,
gasping for breath in his deep emotion. " I am
ashamed of my uncle, and I know that my father
would not be guilty of such treachery."

" I see that it is useless to reason with you,
Passford."

REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE 233

" You have come to a correct conclusion. When
you call my father's steamer an enemy, you define
my duty for me ; and I have nothing further to
do on board of this tug," replied Christy. " I am
in your power, and of course you can do with me
as you please."

Major Pierson was certainly very much embar-
rassed. The events of the night, and the informa-
tion obtained on shore, to say nothing of the
specific request from Colonel Passford to " manage
the business," imposed upon him the duty of
capturing the Bellevite ; and he was all ready to
do it. But the Leopard might as well have been
without an engine as without a pilot ; for all
the men on board were from the interior of
the country, and not one of them, not even the
officers, knew how to steer the boat.

The marks and figures on the chart of the bay,
which Christy had put on the shelf in front of the
wheel, were all Greek to them. Possibly they
might get the tug to the shore, or aground on
the way to it ; but the steamer was practically
disabled.

234 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XXI

THE SICK CAPTAIN OF THE LEOPARD

Christy Passford now realized, for the first
time, that he had been taken by the enemy. War
had actually been declared against the Bellevite,
and Major Pierson would undertake to perforin the
duty assigned to him by Colonel Passford. The
young man was determined to be true to his colors
under all possible circumstances ; and therefore he
could do nothing, directly or indirectly, to assist
in the capture of the steamer.

Captain Passford, while he recognized the irreg-
ularity of his mission, had come into the waters of
Mobile Bay with no intention of committing any
depredations on the persons, property, or vessels
of the Confederacy. The Bellevite had not fired
a shot, or landed a force, in the enemy's country.

Indeed, the owner of the steamer had taken
especial pains to conceal any appearance of using

THE SICK CAPTAIN 235

force on coming into the bay; and all the guns on
the deck of the vessel, that could not be easily
lowered into the hold, had been covered up and
concealed. Though Major Pierson had spent
some time on board of the Bellevite, he did not
know whether or not she was armed. He was no
wiser than the owner's brother.

The major went to the lower deck of the Leop-
ard, where Christy saw him questioning the
soldiers there, though he could not hear any thing
that was said. Of course he was inquiring for
some hand who had steered a steamer ; but he
soon returned alone, and it looked as though
he had not found the person he sought.

" It looks like bad weather, Mr. Passford, since
you decline to be called captain any longer," said
the major, as he came into the pilot-house, and
looked at the sky in all directions.

Christy had noticed the weather signs before ;
and the wind was beginning to pipe up a rather
fresh blast, though the sun had been out for an
hour or more earlier in the morning. It came
from the southward, and it was already knocking
up a considerable sea, as it had the range of the
whole length of the bay.

236 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I was thinking that we should have a storm
before long when I looked at the signs this
morning," replied Christy rather indifferently.

" How many men does your father have on
board of his steamer, Mr. Passford ? " asked the
major, in a careless sort of way.

"Not as many, I should say, as you have in
Fort Gaines. By the way, how many have you
under your command there ? " returned Christy
with a twinkle of the eye.

"We have two thousand four hundred and
twenty-six, including myself," replied the major.

" That is quite a force ; my father has only seven
hundred and forty-two, without counting me."

" Where do you put them all ? "

" We stow them away in the hold, after the
manner of packing sardines in a box. We only
let them out one at a time, when we feed them
with salt fish and baked beans."

" That makes a good many men to a gun,"
suggested the major.

" Lots of them," answered Christy.

" How many guns does the steamer carry ? "

" Only two hundred ; of course I mean heavy
guns, — sixty and eighty-four pounders. I think

THE SICK CAPTAIN 237

there must be small arms enough to supply all
your men in the fort."

" I was on board of the Bellevite for half an
hour or more, and I really did not see a single
heavy gun," added the major, biting his lip.

" Didn't you notice the one hundred and
twenty pounder in the waist ? It is big enough
for you to have seen it."

It was plain enough to the young Unionist
that the major really desired to know something
about the force and metal of the Bellevite, and
that he was disappointed when he found that
the son of the owner was on his guard. No
information was to be obtained from him.

" I think you said there was a doctor on board
of the steamer," continued Major Pierson,
changing the subject of the conversation.

" Yes, sir ; and a very skilful surgeon he is, —
Dr. Linscott," replied Christy.

" I went in to see Captain Pecklar when I was
below, and I found him in a very bad condition.
I am afraid he will die before we can get him
to the shore ; and he is suffering terribly," added
the major, looking earnestly into the face of the
young man.

238 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I am sorry for him," replied Christy ; and his
pity and sympathy were apparent in his face.

He had noticed the captain of the tug in the
morning, and one of the soldiers had told him
lie was a Northern man who had come to this
region for his health. He appeared to have no
scruples at doing the duty assigned to him,
though he had been only two years at the South.
But he seemed to be of no use to either side in the
contest, for he was too sick to work any longer.

Christy was filled with pity for the sufferings
of the captain of the tug, and he thought the
major's questions suggested that something was
to be required of him in connection with the
sick man. He was willing to do any thing he
could for the aid of the captain, if he could do it
without sacrificing his principles.

" It was a part of my purpose to obtain assist-
ance from the surgeon of the steamer for poor
Pecklar," continued the major. " But you have
moored us all here by refusing to steer the boat,
and the captain will die without our being able
to do a single thing for him. There is not even
a drop of brandy on board of this boat to restore

THE SICK CAPTAIN 239

" What do you propose to do, Major Pierson ? "
asked Christy.

" Just now, all I desire is to procure assistance
for poor Pecklar," replied the major. " But we
are as helpless as though we were all babies, for
we can't handle the steamer, and cannot run
down to the Bellevite. I hope you will not
have the death of this poor fellow on your
conscience."

" I will not. I will take the Leopard alongside
of the Bellevite, if you like," replied Christy ;
and he regarded this as a mission of humanity
which he had no right to decline.

" The steamer has turned about ! " shouted one
of the soldiers on the forecastle.

Christy had noticed that the Bellevite was
coming about before the announcement came
from below, for his nautical eye enabled him to
see her first movement. He did not feel that the
service he was about to render would benefit
the enemy, on the one hand ; and he hoped that
his father or some other person on board of the
Bellevite would see him in the pilot-house, on
the other hand. If he could only let his father
know where he was, he felt that he should

240 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

remove a heavy burden from his mind and that
of his sister.

What else might come from getting near to the
steamer, he did not venture to consider. But he
could not help figuring up the number of soldiers
on board of the tug ; the force which had cap-
tured him and Percy consisted of four men, and
two men were with the lieutenant. Two officers
and six men was the available force of the
enemy on board of the little steamer, for neither
the captain nor the engineer was fit for duty.

" I accept your offer, Captain Passford ; and
we have no time to spare, or the sick man may
die," said the major.

Christy made no reply, but went to the
wheel, and rang the bell to go ahead. Heading
the Leopard for the Bellevite, he gave himself
up to a consideration of the situation. Major
Pierson immediately left the pilot-house, and did
not return. No stipulations of any kind had
been made, and no terms had been imposed upon
Christy. All that he desired was that his father
should see him, and know where he was.

No one but himself on board could handle
the steamer ; and he could not be sent out of the

THE SICE CAPTAIN 241

pilot-house, or concealed so that he should not
be seen. On the other hand, it did not seem
to him that the officer could do any thing towards
capturing the Bellevite. The major desired to
ascertain what force she had, and had asked
some questions calculated to throw light on the
subject.

If the steamer had come into the bay on a
peaceful errand, as Christy insisted that she had,
the major might easily believe that she was not
armed, and that she had only men enough to
man her. But Christy could not tell what his
captor was thinking about, and he could not
yet enlarge his plans for the future ; but he was
very certain in his own mind, that he should
not let pass any opportunity to escape, even at
great risk, from his present situation.

As the Leopard went off on her course,
considerably shaken by the fresh breeze which
had stirred up a smart sea, the acting captain of
the tug saw that all the men who had been
on the forecastle had disappeared, with a single
exception. The major was not to be seen, and
doubtless he was taking care of the sick captain,
or arranging his plan for the interview with the

242 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

people of the Bellevite. In a few minutes more,
this last man disappeared, and Percy Pierson took
his place on the forecastle.

" So you are a Yank, are you, Mr. Pierson ? "
said he of that name, looking up to the window
at which Christy stood.

" Whatever I am, I am in command of a
Confederate steamer," replied Christy, laughing.
" What is your brother doing, Mr. Percy ? "

" I am sure I don't know : he is only talking
to the men," answered the young man, who had
evidently been put there to act as a lookout.

At that moment a voice was heard from farther
aft, and Percy went towards the stern of the
boat. A few minutes later he ascended to
the pilot-house. On the sofa abaft the wheel
was Lieutenant Dallberg, where he had dropped
asleep as he finished his report of what he had
learned on shore.

" Mr. Dallberg ! " shouted Percy ; but the
lieutenant did not show any signs of life till
the messenger had shaken him smartly. " Major
Pierson wants you down below."

The officer rubbed his eyes for a moment,
and then rose from the sofa, and left the apart-

THE SICK CAPTAIN 243

ment. The summons for the lieutenant made
it look to Christy as though something was in
progress below. There was only one thing which
the major could think of doing ; and that was
to capture the Bellevite, either by force or by
strategy. He would have given a good deal to
know what the plan was, but it seemed to him
to be quite impossible to leave the wheel.

" How is the sick man, Percy ? " asked Christy,
when he found that the messenger was not
disposed to leave the pilot-house.

" He is a good deal better : they have just
given him another glass of brandy," replied
Percy.

This statement did not agree with that of the
major, who had told him the captain was likely
to die, and that there was not a drop of brandy
on board of the boat. The commandant of the
fort had evidently been acting in the pilot-house
with a purpose.

"Didn't your brother order you to stay on
the forecastle, Mr. Percy ? " asked Christy, when
his companion came to the wheel on the opposite
side from the helmsman.

" No : he said if I would help him, he would

244 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

do what he could for me ; and he told me to
keep a lookout at this end of the tug. I can
see ahead better here than I can down below,"
replied Percy, as he tried to turn the wheel.
" I believe I could steer this thing."

"I know you could, Percy. Do you see the
Bellevite ? "

" Of course I do : I'm not blind."

" She has stopped her screw, and is not going
ahead now," added Christy, as he let go the
spokes of the wheel, and proceeded to instruct
his pupil.

A few minutes later, Christy left the pilot-
house to take a look below.

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 245

CHAPTER XXII

THE PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK

Christy Passford did not consider Percy
Pierson a competent helmsman, for he had spent
but a few minutes in instructing him in handling
the wheel ; in fact, only long enough to induce
him to " steer small." For the moment, Percy
was interested in the occupation, and gave his
whole mind to it ; and Christy intended to
remain where he could reach the wheel in a
moment if occasion should require. His com-
panion in the pilot-house did not seem to care
what he did.

The Bellevite, as the new captain had observed
before, had stopped her screw ; and she appeared
to be waiting for the tug to come up, as it was
headed towards her. Christy had examined her
with the glass, but he could see nothing which
gave him any idea of what was going on upon

246 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

her decks. As Florry was now on board of her,
he was satisfied that his father could only be
waiting for him ; and he intended to do his best
to report on board some time during the day.

Major Pierson and his little force were
gathered under the hurricane-deck, in the space
from which opened the door of the captain's
little cabin. Christy could not see a single one
of them from the upper deck ; but he had gone
but a few steps aft before he heard the voice of
the major who seemed to be "laying down the
law " in a forcible manner to his men.

" Do you understand me, Spikeley ? " demanded
the major slowly and loudly, as though he were
talking to a deaf man.

Christy had not heard the name of Spikeley
before ; but he concluded that he must be one of
the soldiers, probably one of the two who had
come on board with Lieutenant Dallberg.

" I don't think I do," replied the man addressed,
in a tone quite as loud as that of the military officer.

" You are not to start the engine under any
circumstances," continued the major, in a louder
tone than before, as if the man had failed to
hear him.

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 247

The man addressed as Spikeley must be the
engineer then, and not a soldier, Christy realized
at once.

" Don't I mind the bells, Major Pierson ? "
asked the engineer, whose tones indicated that
he was not a little astonished at the positive
order he had received.

" You will not mind the bells. You will take
no notice of them after this present moment.
When I tell you to stop the engine, you will stop
it, not without, no matter how many times the
bells ring," said the major with emphasis.

" I hear you, and I understand now what I
am to do," replied Spikeley.

" All right, so far ; but do you understand
what you are not to do ? " demanded the officer
sharply, as though he fully comprehended the
obtuseness of the engineer.

" I reckon I do : I am not to start the engine
till you tell me to start it," answered the dull
engineer.

" Not if you don't start it for a month ! "
added the major sternly.

" But you are going off, Major Pierson," sug-
gested Spikeley. "If that steamer over yonder

248 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

looks like she was going to run over the Leopard,
I am not to start the engine to keep her from
being sent to the bottom of the bay ? "

" No ! " exclaimed the officer.

" All right, major ; then you may find me on
the bottom when you come back."

" You will not be lost as long as I know where
your are," added the major with a chuckle.

" Are you coming back to-day, major ? "

" I don't know when I shall return. All you
have to do is to obey orders, and leave all the
rest to me."

" Shall I be all alone on board ? "

" That young fellow at the wheel will remain
on board ; but you are not to mind what he says
to you. Do you understand that ? "

" I reckon I do," replied Spikeley.

" My brother, who was down here a little
while ago, will also remain on board ; and Captain
Pecklar will be in his room, for he cannot leave
it. That is all that will be on board. But no
one will bother you, unless it should be the fellow
now at the wheel ; and he can't do any harm as
long as you don't start the engine for him."

" I reckon I won't start the engine for him, or

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 249

anybody else but you, major. You can bet your
commission on that," added the engineer, with
more vim in his speech than he had used before.

" All right, Spikeley ; and I will see that you
don't lose any thing, if you are faithful to your
duty. You must keep a sharp lookout for Pass-
ford : that's the young fellow at the wheel. He is
the only one that can do any mischief, and I
would not have him go near that steamer for a
thousand dollars."

Christy thought he understood what was in
progress ; at any rate, he dared not remain any
longer away from the wheel, and he returned to
the pilot-house. Percy was still interested in his
occupation. He was steering the tug very well for
a beginner, and his brother was too busy organiz-
ing his expedition to notice that the steering was
a little wild ; for the waves caused the boat to yaw
somewhat in the absence of a skilled hand at the
helm.

The Leopard was now within about half a mile
of the Bellevite. The latter turned her screw a
few times once in a while to keep from drifting,
and Christy saw from his chart that the water was
too shallow for her in the direction in which the

250 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

tug was approaching her. Of course his father
was aware that, by this time, his own and his
daughter's departure from his uncle's mansion was
known. His own absence, therefore, must be the
only thing that detained her in these waters.

" I think I can steer this thing pretty well, Mr.
Pierson," said Percy, when the new captain
joined him.

" You do it very well indeed for a beginner,
Percy ; but you need not call me ' Mr. Pierson '
any longer, for it takes too long to say it. Every-
body calls me Christy, and you had better follow
the fashion," replied the captain.

" All right, Christy, and I will do so ; for there
are more Piersons on board of this boat now than
I wish there were," added Percy, glancing at the
face of his companion.

" What is your brother going to do, Percy ? He
seems to be arranging something on the lower
deck," continued Christy.

" I don't know : he didn't tell me any thing at
all about it. He wanted to use me : so he soaped
me."

"If he knew you could steer this steamer, he
would have something more for you to do."

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 251

" Then I won't tell him. All I want is to get
away from him. He will make a common soldier
of me, and I shall never get out of the ranks."

" But you will fight like a brave fellow, and you
will be promoted,1' suggested Christy.

" If I get a bullet through my carcass, they will
make a corporal of me. Then if I had half my
head shot off, they might make a sergeant of me.
I am not thirsting for any such glory as that,
and I expected to stay with my father at Nassau."

" Did your brother ask you any thing about the
Bellevite, Percy ? "

" Not a thing : he would hardly speak to me,
for he says I have disgraced the family. But,
Christy, now I think of it, you are not on the
South side of this question."

"How do you know I am not?" asked Christy,
laughing.

" I heard my brother say so ; and that he did
not wish to have you, on any account, go near
that other steamer."

" I think we wonH talk about that just now,"
added Christy cautiously, for he was not inclined
to have Percy know too much about his affairs at
present.

252 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"Why not? After all my brother has done,
and is trying to do, to me, I don't think I am
exactly on the South side of the question any
more than you are," said Percy, looking with
interest into the face of his companion. " If your
father is a Union man, as Lindley says he is, he
don't mean to have the Bellevite go into the
service of the Confederacy."

'* That is not bad logic, with the premises on
which you base it."

" Just talk English, if you please, Christy."

" The English of it is, that if my father is a
Union man, as your brother says he is, the Bellevite
is not going into the Southern navy," replied
Christy, willing to encourage the major's brother.

" I can understand that, Christy. Now, you are
going on board of your father's steamer if you can
get there."

"I certainly don't want to stay on board of
this little tub any longer than I am obliged to
do so, for you can see that I am really a
prisoner."

" So am I ; and that is just where we ought
to be friends, and stand by each other," said
Percy with a good deal of enthusiasm. "I can

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 253

see through a brick wall, when there is a hole
in it."

" Good eyes you have, Percy, and you don't
have to wear glasses."

" I don't know much about logic ; but if the
Bellevite is not going into the Confederate navy,
as I supposed when we came into Mobile Bay, I
can figure it out that she is not going to stay
in these parts at all."

" That's your logic, Percy, not mine ; but I
don't think I care to argue the question on the
other side," said Christy, making very light of
the whole matter, though he was vastly more
interested than he was willing to acknowledge.

"She is going to get out of Mobile Bay, and
she is going to do it just as soon as she can.
Now, the question is, where is she going then ? "

"You will have to put that question to my
father, Percy," said Christy. "He can tell you
what he is going to do a great deal better than
I can."

" He is not within ear-shot of me just now : if
he were, I would ask him without stopping to
soap my tongue."

" You may see him before long. I don't know

254 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

what your brother is about just now ; and, for
aught I know, he may intend to capture the
Bellevite."

" I reckon he will have a good time doing
it, if your father and Captain Breaker haven't
a mind to let him do it."

"They will not wish to fight, even for their
steamer, here in Mobile Bay. I know that my
father intended to keep the peace. Besides, your
brother may think there are few men on board
of the vessel."

"I want to get on board of the Bellevite any-
how!" exclaimed Percy, bluntly coming to the
point at which he had been aiming for some
time.

" I shall not do any thing to prevent you from
doing so," added Christy.

" I don't say that I want to go into the Yankee
navy, or that I will lift a finger against my
country, mind you."

He seemed to be equally unwilling to lift a
finger for it.

" I don't ask you to do any thing against your
conscience, Percy."

"If the Bellevite gets out of the bay with

PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK 255

you and me on board, I believe I can find
some way to get back to Nassau. That is what
I am driving at."

"I can't say that the steamer will not go
there," added Christy, who did not mean to
commit himself.

Suddenly, without any bell from the pilot-
house, the engine of the Leopard stopped ; but
Christy was not at all surprised at the failure
of the power, though Percy began to make
himself very indignant over the stoppage of the
engine.

256 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XXIII

THE EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD

" What is the matter now ? " demanded Percy
Pierson, when the tug ceased to shake under
the pressure of the engine, and began to roll
rather smartly in the sea, though it was not
heavy enough to be at all dangerous.

"It appears that the engine has stopped,"
replied Christy quietly.

"What has it stopped for?" asked the other.

"You will have to put that conundrum to
your brother ; but doubtless the needs of the
Confederate States require that it should stop."

" Which is the bell, Christy ? " inquired Percy,
looking at the pulls on the frame of the wheel.

"The large one is the gong bell, the other is
the speed bell, and the latter is a jingler."

" Well, which one do you ring to start her ? "

"One pull at the gong bell to stop or to start

EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD 257

her," replied Christy, who was rather anxious
to have his companion learn the secrets of the
pilot-house.

" One bell to stop or start her," repeated
Percy.

" Two bells to back her," added the acting
captain.

" Two bells to back her. I can remember all
that without writing it down. But what is the
other pull for. There don't seem to be any need
of any more bells."

" I think there is ; at least, it saves striking
too many strokes on the gong when there is an
emergency. The other is the speed bell."

" What is that for, to make her go faster ? "

" Yes, or slower. If you start the engine, the
engineer will run it slowly at first, and continue
to do so till he gets the speed bell, or jingler,
which he can never mistake for the gong."

" I see ; and that is a good scheme."

" If you are approaching a wharf or another
vessel, or if a fog come up, you ring the jingler,
if the boat is going at full speed, and the engineer
slows her down. If there is any danger, and you
wish to stop her as quick as you can, you ring

258 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

one bell on the gong, which stops the engine,
and then two bells on the same, which reverses
the engine. Now let me see if yon know all
about it ; for your brother may want you to steer
the Leopard, and become her captain, after he
has tied my hands behind me again."'

" If he does that, I will cut you loose, Christy."

" Thank you, Percy. I don't know what he
will do, but it seems to me that he is going to do
something ; " and Christy proceeded to examine
his pupil in the use of the bell-pulls.

Percy made some mistakes, which were care-
fully corrected ; and, as he did so, the captain
wrote down the directions in full, placing the
paper on the shelf with the chart.

The student of bell-pulls signalized the com-
pletion of his examination by giving one pull
at the gong ; but it produced no effect at all upon
the engine or the engineer, and the Leopard,
having fallen off into the trough of the sea, had
begun to roll more violently than at first.

"What is the matter with that engineer? '
pouted Percy, who did not feel flattered that hi?
first experience with the bell-pulls produced no
effect, though he had distinctly heard the sound
of the gong.

EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD 259

£= The}7- haven't sent any word up to the pilot
house that the engine is disabled, and we shall
have to apply to Major Pierson for further
information."

" That engineer must have gone to sleep ! "
exclaimed Percy, whose vexation was in
proportion to his zeah

He rang the gong again ; but Christy under-
stood why the screw did not turn, though he
deemed it wise to keep his own counsel for the
present. Percy was rousing himself to a passion
at the neglect of the engineer to heed his bell.

*k Keep cool, Percy," interposed Christy.
" Don't say a word to your brother that you
have learned to steer a steamer ; and you may
have a chance to surprise him, and show that
you are a good deal more of a fellow than he
takes you to be."

" I don't believe he will get such a chance if
he don't have it now. I wonder what he is up
to," added Percy, restraining his impatience.

" We can only wait till his plans come out,"
added Christy. " But I will go to the side of the
hurricane deck, and tell him that the engine does
not respond to the bells."

260 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I should think he might see that for himself,"
said Percy.

" Don't you say a word, and don't you show
yourself to any one. Sit down on that stool,
and keep quiet."

" I will do just what you tell me, Christy, for
I believe you will be able to get me out of this
scrape," replied Perc}T, as he seated himself, and
began to read over the instructions relating to
the bells.

In fact, he was so interested in the new
occupation he had taken up, that he soon forgot
all about his brother, and the trouble that lay in
his path. He read the paper, and applied his
fingers to the pulls in a great many different
ways, supposing all the various situations of the
boat which Christy had suggested.

Christy went to the side of the upper deck,
and saw that the soldiers had hauled in the boat
that had been used by the lieutenant and his two
men. It was a large and clumsy affair, big
enough to hold a dozen men, and provided with
four oars. But the Leopard was in the trough
of the sea, and it was not an easy matter for the
soldiers to handle it ; and just then the major

EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD 261

declared that the boat would be smashed against
the side of the tug.

'' Major Pierson, this steamer has stopped
without any bell from the pilot-house, and I
have been unable to start her again," said
Christy, hailing the commander of the fort.

" All right, Mr. Passford : I told the engineer
to stop her," replied the major, who appeared to
be in a hurry, though he could not make the
long-boat work as he desired. " Oblige me by
remaining in the pilot-house for the present, and
keep a sharp lookout for the Bellevite."

" Certainly, Major Pierson, if you desire it ; but
permit me to suggest that you will not be able to
do any thing with that boat while the tug remains
in the trough of the sea," replied Christy, who was
more afraid that the major would not carry out
his plan than that he would do so.

" I don't see that it can be helped, though I am
no sailor," replied the commandant, looking up
with interest to the acting captain. " For reasons
of my own, which I cannot stop to explain, I don't
wish to take this tug any nearer to the Bellevite ;
and I am going off in the boat after Dr. Linscott.
But it looks now as though the boat would be
smashed in pieces."

262 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

"• I should say that it would be," added Christy.
"If you will start the engine again, I think I can
help you out of this difficulty."

" How do you expect to do it ? " asked the
major, who seemed to be incredulous on the point.

" If you will let me get the tug out of the
trough of the sea, you can easily haul the boat up
on the lee side of her," Christy explained. " The
steamer will shelter the water on that side of her."

" Spikeley ! " called the major, in a loud voice ;
and the engineer came out of his den. " Start her
up now."

" Run her at about half speed, major ; " and
the commandant repeated his direction to the
engineer.

Christy retreated to the pilot-house, and threw
over the wheel of the boat ; so that, when the screw
began to turn, the bow of the tug soon headed to
the southward, which gave her the wind ahead.
Then he brought her so that the water was com-
paratively smooth on her port quarter, where the
long-boat was.

Without the loss of a moment, the major drove
a7l his men into the boat, and they shoved off.
The men were soldiers, and they had had but little

EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD 263

practice in rowing, having taken it up at the fort.
They made rather bad work of it ; but, more by
luck than skill, the boat cleared the tug without
being stove.

" Spikeley ! " shouted the major.

" Here, sir," replied the engineer, hobbling out
of his room.

"Stop the engine, and remember what I told
you," added the commandant.

" All right, sir : I will do just as you ordered
me."

" What does he want to stop the engine for ? "
asked Percy. " She don't roll so badly when the
engine is going."

" That is very true ; but your brother knows
what he is about," replied Christy, his eyes begin-
ning to light up with an unwonted fire.

" Well, what is he about ? "

" He is going to capture the Bellevite."

" He will have a nice time of it ! " exclaimed
Percy. "That steamer can blow him out of the
water a dozen times before he gets near her."

" I don't believe your brother has any idea that
the Bellevite is heavily armed," added Christy.

" But he has been on board of her,"

264 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" That is very true ; but the two heavy guns
were covered, up, and the others were sent down
into the hold. All the soldiers in the boat with
your brother have their muskets ; and he would
not have taken the lieutenant and six men with
him if he were simply going for the doctor for
Captain Pecklar, as he told me he was."

" I believe Lindley is a fool to think of such a
thing as capturing the Bellevite with eight men,"
added Percy.

" I don't know what else he can intend to do,
but I do know why he don't take the tug any
nearer to the steamer. He don't want my father
to know what has become of me."

" Can't you make some sort of a signal to him,
Christy?"

" I can do something better than that."

"What's that?"

" I can show myself to him. But, before I do
that, I must know how you stand, Percy."

" How I stand ? You know as much about me
as I know about myself. I want to get on board
of the Bellevite, and I am not a bit anxious to
fight my brother's battle for him. I know what
he is after, now I think of it."

EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD 265

"Well, what is he after?"

" He is after the Bellevite ; and if he can
take her, he is sure of a colonel's commis-
sion."

" T should say that he could not do any thing
better for the Confederacy than to present it
with the finest steamer in the world. But you
are not with him, you say, Percy."

"I am not. I belong to the Confederacy the
same as he does; but I want to get aboard of
the Bellevite, and then I shall have a good chance
to reach Nassau," replied Percy.

Christy had a good deal better opinion of
Major Pierson than he had of his brother in the
pilot-house with him ; but just then the latter
was able to be more useful to him than the
commandant of the fort.

" I can now almost promise that you shall be
put on board of the Bellevite, if I succeed in
reaching her myself," said Christy.

" That is all I can expect of you ; and I
will do whatever you tell me, if it be to sink
the Leopard. But we can't do a thing. The
engineer will not start the engine for us ; and
I don't see but what we must stay here till my

266 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

brother comes back from his errand, whatever it
may be."

" I don't feel quite so helpless as that," added
Christy, as he took a revolver from his hip-pocket,
where he had carried it all the time since the
steamer left Nassau, and while she was there.

" What are you going to do with that,
Christy?" asked Percy, impressed with the sight
of the weapon.

"I am going to start this tug with it, if
necessary. Now hear me."

Percy was all attention.

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 267

CHAPTER XXIV

THE ENGINEER GOES INTO THE FORECASTLE

The wind from the southward seemed to
be increasing in force, though it was not yet
what old salts would call any thing more than
half a gale, and hardly that; but the long-boat
from the Leopard made bad weather of it, and
rolled wildly in the trough of the sea. The
soldiers pulled badly, for they had had no training
in the use of the oars, and very little experience.

The boat had made very little progress towards
the Bellevite, and Christy was in no hurry to
put his plan in operation. He showed his
revolver to Percy, and then restored it to
his hip-pocket. But he watched the expression
of his companion in the pilot-house very closely ;
for, as the case then stood, one of them belonged
to the blue, while the other was of the gray.
But Percy's patriotism was hardly skin deep,

268 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and he had already spoken freely enough to
make himself understood.

" I don't see how you are going to start the
tug with that pistol if the fellow at the engine
don't look at it in that light," said Percy, as his
companion restored the weapon to his pocket.

" I don't intend to use it if it can be avoided,"
replied Christy. " I shall not ask Spikeley to
start the engine, and if he don't interfere with
me, I shall not harm him ; for he seems to be a
cripple, and it would hurt my feelings to have
to lay hands on him, or even to point a revolver
at his head."

" If Spikeley don't start the engine, I reckon
it will not start itself," suggested Percy.

" I don't believe it will."

" What are you going to do, then ? "

" I am going to start it myself."

" Start it yourself ! You will blow the whole
thing up ! " exclaimed Percy, who did not see
how the same young fellow of sixteen could know
how to steer, and run the engine.

" I have been on board the Bellevite a great
deal of the time for the last three years, and my
mother says I was born a sailor, as my father

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 269

was before me. I always took a deep interest in
every thing connected with the steamer."

" I should think you might, on board of such
a fine vessel as the Bellevite."

" I have stood my trick at the wheel for weeks
together ; and the quartermasters taught me all
they knew about steering, the compass, the log,
the lead, and the signals."

" Those things have nothing to do with the
engine," suggested Percy.

" That is very true ; but, when I had learned
enough in the pilot-house, I went down into the
engine and fire rooms. Mr. Vapoor, the chief
engineer, and I were in the same school together ;
and, though he is six years older than I am, we
have been cronies for four years."

" And he told you about the engine ? "

" I made a regular study of the engine, in
connection with physics, and Paul " —

" Paul ? That's another fellow ? "

" No : it's the same fellow, — Paul Vapoor.
Everybody that knows him says he is a genius.
He was my teacher. But he told me that all the
theory in the world would not make me an
engineer: I must have the experience; and for

270 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

weeks together I took the place of one of the
assistant engineers. That's how I happen to
know something about an engine ; and I have
been on board of all sorts of steamers with Paul,
for the purpose of studying the engines, from a
launch up to the biggest ocean-steamers."

"■Did you take any lessons of the cook on
board of the Bellevite, Christy ? " asked Percy,
laughing.

" I used to ask questions of him ; but I have
served as cook on board of a small yacht, and I
know how to get up a chowder or bake a pot of
beans."

" All right ; then I will take it for granted
that you can start the engine of the Leopard,"
continued Percy, coming back to the topic which
interested him most. " What are you going to
do after you have started the engine ? "

" I am going to get on board of the Bellevite,
and get you on board of her."

" That will suit me first rate," replied Percy.
" But I don't want you to think I am a Yankee,
for I am not."

" But I want you to think I am a Yankee, as
you call it; and I am one," added Christy.

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 271

" After we get on board of the Bellevite, what
do you suppose she will do ? "

" That is more than I can tell you ; but I have
no doubt my father will try to get out of the
bay, and then he will go to New York. It is
about time to make a beginning, for the boat will
not trouble us now," replied Christy, as he took
a look all around the tug.

" What am I to do ? "

" I haven't told you all I know about steering
the boat for nothing, Percy, and you will remain
at the wheel. But I wonder what that is over
in the north-west," added Christy, as he took
the glass from the shelf, and pointed it out the
after window of the pilot-house.

"I think I can steer her all right now. What
do you see over there ? "

" I believe there is a steamer coming down from
that direction," replied Christy anxiously, as he
brought the glass to bear on the object in sight.

" A steamer ! " exclaimed Percy. " That will
mix things with us."

" Perhaps it will. It is a steamer, but it looks
like a river boat , at any rate, it is not a tug.
She is headed this way."

272 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Christy was a good deal disturbed by the
discovery he made ; and giving no further atten-
tion to his companion, he continued to study
the approaching craft, at the same time endeavor-
ing to account for her appearance. His uncle
Homer had gone to find some one who was to
render assistance in preventing the Belle vite
from leaving the bay, and becoming a part of
the navy of the Union.

He had not succeeded in finding the person
he sought, but he had had abundance of time to
go to Mobile ; and Christy feared that this
steamer coming down from the north-west might
be intended for the capture of the Bellevite, in
which case she must be armed and provided
with an ample force for the purpose.

" That is not a tug-boat : she is a river or a
bay steamer, and I am afraid she is faster than
this thing," said Christy, when he had obtained
all the information he could at the present
time. " At any rate, we have no time to spare.
Do you think you can steer the Leopard,
Percy?"

" I know I can," replied he confidently.

" The boat with the major in it is losing a

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 273

good deal by lee-way, for he seems to be making
no allowance for it."

" What does that mean ? " asked Percy,
puzzled by the statement.

" She has the wind on her beam, and she drifts
to the north almost as much as she goes ahead.
He ought to head her for some point to the
southward of the Bellevite ; but the more
mistakes he makes, the better it will be for us."

" I see that he don't seem to be headed
anywhere in particular."

" Now, Percy, I am going below to have it
out with Spikeley," continued Christy, taking
the revolver from his pocket, while he drew a
box of cartridges from another. The Bellevite
drifts as well as the boat ; but they don't let
her go far to the north where the shoal water
is, and they turn the screw enough to keep her
pretty nearly in the same position."

" I am to steer for her, of course," added Percy.

" No : there is something that looks like build-
ings on the shore, at least five miles beyond the
steamer. Do you see them ? "

"I do."

" Run for them ; and this course will carry you

274 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

a considerable distance to the southward of the
boat. I shall be near you all the time ; and if yon
get bothered, sing out for me, and I will help
you out."

" Don't you think I had better go below with
you, so as to make a sure thing with the
engineer?"

"I can handle him alone; or, if I find that I
cannot, I will call for you. Now, look out veiy
closely for your steering, and don't let her wobble
any more than you can help."

Christy left the pilot-house, after he had put six
cartridges into his revolver, and restored the
weapon to his pocket. He had already made up
his mind as to the manner in which lie proposed
to dispose of the engineer. He descended the
ladder to the forecastle of the tug : but before
he proceeded to the important task before him, he
made a careful survey of the accommodations of
the steamer, though she did not appear to be
different from a score of similar vessels he had
visited in making his studies.

Under the pilot-house was the galley, which was
also the mess-room of the crew when she had any.
Forward of this, and under the forward deck, was

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 275

the forecastle, to which the inquirer descended.
It was fitted up with bunks, and there was only
one entrance to it, by a ladder from a scuttle in
the deck.

The scuttle was the interesting point with him ;
and he saw that it was provided with a hasp and
staple, so that the entrance could be secured by
a padlock, though that was missing. Getting a
piece of wood from the deck, he made a toggle
that would fit the staple, and put the scuttle in a
convenient place. Leaving the forward deck, he
went aft, taking another look at the steamer in the
north-west ; but he could hardly see her with the
naked eye, and he thought she must be at least
five miles off.

"Where is your bunk, Mr. Spikeley?" asked
Christy, as he went to the door of the engine-room.

"What's that to you, youngster?" demanded
the engineer ; and possibly it did not comport
with his dignity to be bossed by a boy.

" It is rather important for me to know just
now,*' replied Christy, looking as savage as it was
possible for a good-natured boy to look.

" What do you want to know for ? " asked
Spikeley.

276 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I happen to be in command of this tug for the
present moment, and I Avant an answer without
stopping all day to talk about it."

" Well, youngster, I don't reckon I'll tell you
any thing about it. I get my orders from Major
Pierson," replied the engineer sourly.

" The Leopard is in my charge, and I must ask
you to show me where your bunk is; and after
you have done that, I shall ask you to get into it,
and stay there," said Christy, with decision enough
for the needs of the occasion.

At the same time he took the revolver from his
pocket, and pointed it towards the head of the
engineer.

" You can take your choice, Mr. Spikele}^ : you
can get into your bunk, or have your carcass
thrown into the bay , and you haven't got a great
while to think of it."

The engineer seemed to be properly impressed
by the sight of the weapon, and he could see that
the chambers contained cartridges. He rose from
his seat, and moved towards the door of the
engine-room.

" I heard some of the men say you was a Yank,
and I reckon you be," said Spikeley. " What are
you go'n to do ? "

"The Exgineer Obeyed" (Page 277)

THE ENGINEER IN THE FORECASTLE 277

" I am going to get you into your bunk, where
you will be more comfortable than you are here.
Move on!"

The man obeyed ; for he was unarmed, and he
did not like the looks of the revolver. Without
another word, he moved forward, and descended
to the forecastle. As soon as he was below the
deck, Christy closed the scuttle, and secured it
with the toggle.

278 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XXV

THE FIRST LESSON FOE, A SAILOR

As the engineer was a cripple, Christy Passford
had not expected to have any difficulty in bring-
ing him to terms; and the result justified his
calculations. The Leopard was now practically
in his possession, for Captain Pecklar was the
only person on board, except Percy, who could
give him any trouble ; and he was too feeble to
do any thing.

Percy seemed to be very busy in the pilot-
house, going through imaginary evolutions at the
wheel, and supposing all sorts of orders, and all
kinds of positions in which the tug might be
placed. He did not seem even to observe what
his companion was doing, though the engineer
had been driven into the forecastle in plain sight
from the window of the pilot-house.

The long-boat was still struggling through the

THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR 279

waves on her way to the Bellevite, and could
hardly have made any worse weather of such a
comparatively mild sea. But she had made some
considerable progress, for the boat was now
making a proper allowance for leeway, and the
soldiers were improving in their rowing, possibly
under the direction of the major, who could not
help seeing how badly they had been doing.

Christy decided to ascertain more definitely
the condition of Captain Pecklar, for reports in
in regard to him were conflicting. He went to
his state-room, and found him in his berth.
He certainly looked like a very sick man, though
he appeared to be in no immediate danger, so
far as the new captain of the Leopard was able
to judge from his appearance.

" How do you find yourself, Captain Pecklar ? "
asked Christy in sympathetic tones ; for he
really pitied the poor man, far away from his
friends, and apparently on the very brink of the
grave.

" I am a great deal better," replied the invalid,
looking earnestly into the face of the young man
in front of him.

" I am glad to hear it. Major Pierson has gone

280 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

in the boat to the Bellevite for Dr. Linscott,
and I am sure he will be able to do something for
you when he comes," added Christy.

"When he comes," repeated Captain Pecklar,
with a smile on his thin and blue lips. " I don't
expect to see him at present."

" But the major has gone for him ; at least, he
told me he should."

" I have no doubt he told you so ; but he has
not gone for the doctor, though I may see the
surgeon of the steamer in the course of the day,"
replied the captain, turning his gaze upon the
floor of his room, as though his mind troubled
him as much as his body.

"If the major has not gone for the doctor,
what has he gone for ? " asked Christy.

"I know what he has gone for; and, as you
belong on board of that steamer, I should think
you might easily imagine."

" Perhaps I can," added Christy rather vaguely.

" Was it necessary for a major and a lieutenant,
with six soldiers, to go for the doctor, when five
at the most could have done it better? But have
they, gone ? " asked the captain anxiously.

" They have ; they started some time ago. They

THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR 281

are making bad weather of it, for they don't
know how to handle the boat in a sea," replied
Christy.

" They have gone ! " exclaimed Captain Pecklar,
getting out of his bunk. " Then I need not stay
in my berth any longer."

Christy looked at him with astonishment when
he saw him get out of his berth without any
apparent difficulty ; for he certainly looked like a
very sick man, though his appearance had some-
what improved since he left the pilot-house.

"Do you feel able to get up, captain?" asked
he, as the sufferer put on his coat.

"I was exhausted and worn out by being on
duty all night, and I had a faint turn ; but
I am subject to them. If you are the son of
the man that owns that steamer, you will be able
to understand me," replied the captain ; and his
feeble condition seemed to make him somewhat
timid.'

" I am the son of Captain Passford, who owns
the Bellevite," added Christy.

" I should not have been down here now, if I
could have got away ; but they seem to hold
on to me, for the reason that I am a pilot of

282 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

these waters. I was brought up in the pilot-
house of a steamer ; arid they say I know the
bottom of this bay better than any other man,
though I have been here but two years."

" Then you are not in sympathy with the
secession movement ? "

" In sympathy with it ? I hate the very sound
of the word ! I will tell you about it."

" Don't be long about it, for I have an affair
on my hands," interposed Christy, though he
was not sorry to have the advice of one who knew
something about the situation in the vicinity.

" Only a minute. Major Pierson sent a glass
of brandy to me, and I was fit to take my place in
the pilot-house then, for I felt a great deal better;
in fact, I was as well as usual, and I am now.
But I had an idea what' the major was about,
and I did not want to take any part in getting
your father's steamer into trouble. That's the
whole of it ; all I want is to get on board of
her, and get out of this country."

" All right, Captain Pecklar ! " exclaimed
Christy, delighted at the frankness of his com-
panion. " The steamer, I mean the tug, is
already in my possession."

THE FIRST LESSOX FOR A SAILOR 283

" In your possession ! What do you mean
by that ? " asked the captain with a look of
astonishment.

" I have driven the engineer into the fore-
castle, and fastened him down. The major's
brother is in the pilot-house, and he has learned
something about handling the wheel. I am going
to start the boat now ; and if I can do nothing
more, I can show myself to my father on board
of the Bellevite."

" I am glad to hear it. I intended to do
something, though I hardly knew what, as soon
as I was sure that the major and his men had
gone," added Captain Pecklar. " I can take the
wheel now.'1

" Percy Pierson takes a great deal of interest
in his new occupation, and I think it will be
best to let him occupy his mind in that way.
He steered the tug for some time, while I was
ascertaining what was going on in this part of
the boat.1'

" Just as you think best, Mr. Passford."

" Call me Christy, for that will sound more
natural to me."

" As you please, Christy. I am competent to

284 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

run an engine, and did it once for a couple of
years, though the business does not agree with
me."

" Very well, Captain Pecklar ; then you shall
run the engine, and I will keep the run of what
is going on around us," said Christy, as he
walked towards the stern of the tug. " There
is a new danger off in the north-west."

"What's that?" asked the captain.

" There is another steamer coming in this
direction, and I suppose she hails from Mobile.
There she is."

Christy was somewhat disturbed to find that
the approaching steamer was overhauling the
tug very rapidly. It looked as though she
would prove to be a more important factor in
the immediate future than he had supposed. If
he could only get on board of the Bellevite, he
was sure that she could run away from any
thing that floated. But there was not another
moment to be lost, and he hastened on deck to
have the Leopard started. He found Percy still
engaged with his problems in steering, going
through all the forms as though the boat were
actually under way.

THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR 285

"Now you may do it in earnest, Percy," said
he. " We are all ready to go ahead. Strike
your gong."

" It will be no use to strike it while you are
up here," replied the pilot, looking at Christy,
with interest.

" We have not a second to spare ; strike your
gong, and we will talk about it afterwards,"
continued Christy impatiently.

" But I am not a fool, Christy, and I don't " —

" But I do ! " interposed the acting captain
sharply, as he reached over and pulled the
bell.

" I don't like to have a fellow fool with me
when I am in earnest. What good will it do to
ring the bell while you are in the pilot-house,
Christy?"

But before the captain could answer the
question, if he intended to do so, the boat
began to shake under the pressure of the engine,
and the tug moved ahead at half speed. Percy
was so much astonished that he could hardly
throw over the wheel, and Christy took hold
of it himself.

" I don't understand it," said he, as he took

286 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

hold of the spokes, and looked ahead to get
the course of the boat.

"You will never make a sailor till you mend
your ways," added Christy.

" There must be some one in the engine-room,"
said Percy.

" Of course there is."

" Why didn't you say so, then ? I did not
suppose the boat could go ahead while you were
up here."

" I told you to ring the gong, didn't I ? "

" What was the use of ringing it when you were
in the pilot-house ? "

" What was the use of ringing it when I did ? "
demanded Christy, who had but little patience
with this kind of a sailor.

" You knew there was some one in the engine-
room."

" But the engine would have started just the
same if you had rung the gong."

"Well, I didn't know it; and if you had only
said you had an engineer, I should have under-
stood it."

" You will never make a sailor, as I said before,"
added Christy.

THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR 287

" What is the reason I won't ? "

" Because you don't obey orders, and that is
the first and only business of a sailor."

" If you had only told me, it would have been
all right."

"If the captain, in an emergency, should tell
you to port the helm, you could not obey the
order till he had explained why it was given ; and
by that time the ship might go to the bottom. I
can't trust you with the wheel if you don't do
better than you have ; for I have no time to
explain what I am about, and I should not do it
if I had."

" It would not have taken over half an hour to
tell me there was an engineer in the engine-room,"
growled Percy.

" That is not the way to do things on board of
a vessel, and I object to the method. I don't
know what there is before us, and I don't mean
to give an order which is not likely to be obeyed
till I have explained its meaning."

"I will do as you say, Christy," said Percy
rather doggedly. " Did Spikeley agree to run the
engine ? "

" No, he did not ; he is locked up in the fore-

288 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

castle. Captain Pecklar is at the engine ; but he
is all ready to take the wheel when I say the
word."

" I can keep the wheel, for I think I understand
it very well now."

"I did not wish to take you away from the
wheel, for I saw that you liked the work ; and I
said so to Captain Pecklar. If 3^ou have learned
the first lesson a sailor has to get through his head,
all right; if not, Captain Pecklar will take the
wheel."

" I understand the case better now, and I will
do just what you tell me," protested Percy.

"And without asking any questions?"

" I won't ask a question if the whole thing drops
from under me."

Percy steered very well, and Christy had
enough to do to watch the steamer astern and the
boat ahead.

THE POST OF DUTY 289

CHAPTER XXVI

THE POST OF DUTY AND OF DANGEE

The long-boat, with the increased experience of
its crew, was doing very well, and it would soon
be within hailing-distance of the Bellevite. But
Major Pierson could hardly help discovering that
the Leopard was under way, though he seemed to
give his whole attention to the boat and the
steamer ahead of him.

Christy went aft to ascertain the situation of
the steamer from the north-west, and with the
glass he satisfied himself that she was not exactly
a river steamer, such as he had seen on the
Alabama ; or, if she was, she had been altered to
fit her for duty on the bay.

He could see that she had brass guns on her
forward deck, and a considerable force of soldiers
or sailors. But she was a nondescript craft, and
he was unable to make her out accurately, though

290 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

by this time she was not more than half a mile
distant. No immediate danger was to be appre-
hended from her, unless she opened fire with the
field-pieces on her deck. As the Leopard was in
the service of the forts, she was not likely to do
this till she knew more of the present situation on
board of her.

Christy had made up a new course for the tug
when he saw the change in the working of the
long-boat, and the approaching steamer had an
influence in his calculations. He had directed the
new pilot to head her directly for the Bellevite,
only taking care to give the long-boat a sufficiently
wide berth to prevent the soldiers from boarding
her, and with steam it would be an easy thing to
keep out of its way.

Christy went below to the engine-room to
ascertain the condition of Captain Pecklar. He
found him eating his breakfast, which he took
from a basket he had evidently brought with
him from the shore the day before. He seemed
to have an appetite ; and, from the food he
consumed, the acting captain did not believe
he could be in a desperate situation.

"How do you get on, Captain Pecklar?"

THE POST OF DUTY 291

asked Christy, as he glanced at the engine, and
judged that it was moving more rapidly than
at any time before.

" I am a good deal better, Christy : in fact, the
thought of getting out of this country is almost
enough to cure me ; for I have come to the con-
clusion that I had rather die at home than live
here," replied the captain, as he put an enormous
piece of beef into his mouth, which his companion
thought would be almost enough for his
breakfast.

" I am glad you are better. How does the
engine work ? " asked Christy.

" I have been stirring it up, and I just filled
up the furnaces. I think she is doing her best,
though that is not saying a great deal. But,
Christy, have you tried to get a look over beyond
the Bellevite ? "

"No, I haven't seen any thing in that direc-
tion," replied Christy, a little startled by the
question.

" I believe there is another steamer over there ;
and, if there is, it must be the Dauphine."

" What of her ? " asked Christy anxiously.

" She is a steam-yacht of four hundred tons,

292 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and the fastest steamer in these waters. They
have been fitting her up for the war, though I
don't know whether she is to be a man-of-war
or a blockade-runner."

"What makes you think it is she?"

" Because she has been over to the town you
may have seen in that direction. She is behind
the Bellevite, so that you can hardly see her."

" I am inclined to think the Bellevite can
take care of herself," replied Christy.

"Why, the Bellevite cannot do any thing but
run away ; and Major Pierson says she will never
do that till you have been taken on board of
her. I heard him and Lieutenant Dallberg talk
it all over near the door of my room."

" Perhaps the Bellevite can do something more
than run away," added Christy with a smile.

"What do you mean, my friend?" asked the
captain, suspending the operation of his jaws,
he was so interested in the answer to his ques-
tion. " The major said distinctly that she was a
gentleman's pleasure-yacht, and that she was not
armed."

"The major has a right to his opinion, and I
shall not argue the point against him. My father

THE TOST OF DUTY 293

came into the bay on a peaceful errand, and he
had no intention to be aggressive."

" All right, Christy ; I can see through plain
glass even when there isn't a hole in it," said
Captain Pecklar, laughing ; for he seemed to be
entirely satisfied with the situation, in spite of
the fact that two hostile steamers appeared
to menace the Bellevite, which he hoped would
bear him to his home.

" Now, what do you know of the steamer astern
of us ? " asked Christy.

' '• That must be the Belle. She is no match
for an armed steamer, but she may do a great
deal of mischief. She used to run down the
bay in the summer."

" I will go up to the pilot-house, and see if I
can make out the Dauphine. If she is a sea-going
yacht, she is the one we have to fear," said
Christy, as he left the engine-room.

" See here, Christy ; there is another steamer
over beyond the Bellevite, and she is pretty
near her, too," said Percy, as he entered the
pilot-house.

The acting captain brought his glass to bear
over the Bellevite, and he was satisfied that the

294 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

approaching vessel was the yacht described by-
Captain Pecklar. But he had hardly got his
eye on the Dauphine, before he saw that the
Bellevite had started her screw. It looked as
though she deemed it advisable to change her
position in view of the approach of the steamers
on each side of her.

" Where is she going, Christy ? " asked Percy.

" I am sure I cannot tell you. You can see all
that I can see," replied Christy, who was very
anxious about the situation.

" We are not a great way from the long-boat,"
suggested Percy, who was more afraid of that
than he was of all the steamers in sight. "What
am I to steer for now ? Shall I make her follow
the Bellevite ? "

" Head her off to the north-east," replied
Christy, opening the binnacle.

But he might as well have opened the book of
the black art to Percy, for he could not steer
by compass. Christy got the Leopard on her
new course, by which she would come somewhere
near intercepting the Bellevite ; and then he found
an object on the shore, many miles distant, for
the guidance of the pilot.

THE POST OF DUTY 295

But the long-boat was now almost within
hailing-distance of the Leopard. Major Pierson
was certainly aware that the tug was under way,
and he made the most energetic demonstrations
for her to stop her screw. Suddenly the Belle-
vite changed her course again, and run directly
towards the tug.

This movement was apparently noticed by the
major ; for his men doubled their efforts at the oars,
pulling for the Leopard. The boat was then out
of the trough of the sea, and its progress was
much better. Then the Belle vite changed her
course again ; and it was impossible to determine
what she intended to do, though possibly she
was following a crooked channel.

" Leopard, ahoy ! " shouted Major Pierson ;
and he was near enough now to be distinctly
heard.

" In the boat ! " returned Christy, though he
knew the parley could amount to nothing.

" Stop her ! " yelled the major.

" Not yet ! " replied the acting captain.

" Stop, or I will fire into you ! "

" I'm not going to stand here and be shot
down ! " exclaimed Percy. " My brother don't

296 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

know that I am at the wheel, and I shall be the
first one to get hit."

Christy could not blame Percy for not wishing
to be shot by the party under his brother's
command; and he had no more relish for being
shot himself, quite in sight of his father's
steamer. But to abandon the helm was to
abandon the control of the tug, and the major
could recover possession of her and of his
prisoner within a few minutes.

" Go below, Percy, and put yourself in the
fire-room, for you will be safe there," said
Christ}'-.

At that moment the crack of a mnsket was
heard, and a bullet crashed through the pine
boards of the pilot-house. It was the first
evidence of actual war which Christy had seen,
and it impressed him strongly.

"It isn't safe for me to show myself," said
Percy, as his companion took the wheel from him.

" You must be your own judge of that,"
replied Christy, as he dropped down on the
floor, with the compass in his hand.

" What are you going to do down there ? "
asked Percy.

THE POST OF DUTY 297

" I have no wish to be shot any more than you
have. I am going to keep out of sight, and steer
the steamer by compass," replied Christy.

" I will steer her if I can keep out of sight,"
added Percy.

"You can't steer by compass; but you can do
something if you are willing," suggested the pilot.

" I am willing to do all I can ; but I don't
want my brother to shoot me, as much for his
sake as my own. What shall I do?" asked
Percy.

" Crawl out of the pilot-house on the port-
side, where they can't see you from the boat,
and then keep watch of all the other steamers.
Report to me just where they all are, and what
they are doing."

" All right ; I will do that," replied Percy, as
he obeyed the order.

The boat continued to fire at the pilot-house
of the Leopard, and though a shot came uncom-
fortably near Christy, he stuck to his post ; for
to leave it was to give up the battle.

" The Bellevite is headed directly towards
us," called Percy, outside of the pilot-house.
" The other steamers are just as they were."

298 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" All right ; keep your eye on them all the
time."

" The Bellevite is headed directly towards us,"
said Captain Pecklar, coming to the top of the
ladder on the port-side.

" So Percy has just reported to me."

" But you will get killed if you stay here,"
said the captain, with genuine solicitude in his
looks and manner.

" But I must stay here, all the same," replied
Christy, who felt too proud to desert the post of
duty because it happened to be the post of danger
at the same time.

" But let me take your place, Christy," contin-
ued Captain Pecklar, finishing the ascent of the
ladder.

" No, no, captain ! Don't expose yourself,"
protested Christy. " It is as safe for me as it will
be for you."

" But I have got about to the end of my chap-
ter of life ; and there is not more than a year, if
there is as much as that, left for me. You are a
young fellow, and the pride of your father, I have
no doubt; at any rate, you ought to be. Give me
that place, and you will be safer in the engine-
room."

THE POST OF DUTY 299

Captain Pecklar insisted for some time, but
Christy obstinately refused to leave his post.

" Men pulling in the boat with all their might ! "
shouted Percy.

" I think I can bring their labors in that way to
an end," added the captain. " But do you under-
stand what the Bellevite is doing, Christy?"

" She is coming this way ; that is all I know."

" She is coming this way because the major has
been fool enough to fire on the Leopard. The
shooting assures your father that this tug is an
enemy."

The captain went below again, leaving Christy
to consider his last remark. But he had not been
gone five minutes before the report of a cannon
shook the hull of the Leopard, and the pilot saw
that it was on the forecastle of the tug.

300 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XXVII

A CANNON-BALL THROUGH THE LEOPARD

The gun on the forecastle of the Leopard was
placed as far aft as possible, so that Christy could
not see it without putting his head out at the
front windows of the pilot-house, and for this
reason he had not seen what Captain Pecklar was
about. But the piece must have been loaded
before, for he could not have charged it without
being seen.

The captain had remarked that he could bring
the labors of those in the long-boat to an end, for
Major Pierson was urging his men to their utmost
with their oars in order to reach the tug. The
smoke prevented Christy from seeing to what
extent he had succeeded, though the fact that he
had fired the gun at the boat was all he needed to
satisfy him of the fidelity of the acting engineer
to the cause he had just espoused.

A CANNON-BALL 301

Christy had not deemed it advisable to change
the course of the Leopard ; for the long-boat was
approaching her at right angles, and he thought
she would get out of its way, for those in charge
of it made no calculation of the distance the
tug would run while the boat was approaching
her.

. The smoke blew aside in a moment, and Christy
discovered that the long-boat had not been struck
by the shot ; or, if it had, it had received no
material damage. The major was still urging his
men to increase their efforts, and he seemed to be
not at all disconcerted by the shot which had been
fired at him. But Christy saw that he was losing
the game, as he probably would not have done if
he had been a sailor, for his calculations would
have been better made.

When the pilot of the Leopard realized that
the major was too much occupied in increasing the
speed of the long-boat to continue the firing at the
tug, he had resumed his place at the window ; but
he kept his eye on the enemy. He looked out at
the window ; but he could not see Captain Pecklar,
though he heard him shovelling coal a minute
later. Tha engine still appeared to be doing its

302 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

best, and the tug was in a fair way to pass clear
of the long-boat.

" Look out, up there, Christy ! " shouted the
engineer, a little later.

The pilot turned his attention to the boat again,
and saw that the major and the lieutenant were
loading their muskets again, and the two men not
at the oars were doing the same. The command-
ant evidently began to feel that he was to miss his
prey if he depended upon the oars of the soldiers,
and he was about to turn his attention again to
the business of disabling the pilot of the tug.
Christy dropped down on the floor again, and
steered by the compass, which was still where he
had placed it before.

He could hear a rumbling sound on the forward
deck, and he was curious to know what the
captain was^ doing ; but it was not prudent to look
out at the window. After a great deal of hard
kicking and prying, he succeeded in removing a
narrow board from the front of the pilot-house
near the floor ; and through this aperture he could
see that the acting engineer had just finished
reloading the gun, and was changing its position
so as to bring it to bear on the long-boat.

A CANNON-BALL 303

The enemy were now a little forward of the
beam of the tug, and not more than fifty yards
from her; but Christy was satisfied that the
Leopard would go clear of the long-boat if his
craft was not disabled. The major and his com-
panions could not help seeing that Captain
Pecklar had deserted their cause, and that, with
the gun on the deck, he was a dangerous
enemy.

The report of a musket in the direction of the
boat caused Christy to look very anxiously to
the forward deck ; but to his great satisfaction he
saw that the captain had not been hit. But
he immediately retired under the pilot-house, so
that he could not see him. He was brave
enough to stand up and be shot at, but he
was also prudent enough not to expose himself
unnecessarily.

Three other shots followed the first, one of
the balls passing through the boards of the
pilot-house, above the helmsman's head ; and he
saw a splinter fly from a stanchion forward.
Captain Pecklar waited for the fourth shot, —
and he had evidently noticed how many men had
muskets in their hands, — then he sprang out

304 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

from his hiding-place, sighted the gun, and
pulled the lock-string.

Through the aperture he had made, Christy
looked with intense interest to ascertain the
effect of this shot. As soon as the smoke blew
away, he saw that the shot had passed obliquely
into the boat, striking the stern-board just behind
Major Pierson, and splitting off the plank near
the water-line.

There was a commotion in the ranks of the
enemy, and it was plain enough that the water
was flowing into the craft. The soldiers stopped
rowing, and the lieutenant and one of the extra
men were sent into the bow. This change
settled the bow of the boat down into the water,
and lifted the stern. The major appeared to be
equal to the emergency ; he gave his orders in a
loud voice, and the rowing was renewed with
the delay of not more than a couple of minutes.
But that was enough to defeat his present
purpose, though he still urged his men to exert
themselves to the utmost.

The long-boat went astern of the tug, and
Christy came out from his place on the floor to
the windows. Captain Pecklar was loading the

A CANNON-BALL 305

gun, as he had done before, by swinging it around
so that the muzzle was under the pilot-house.

" I think you will have no further use for that
gun," said Christy, when he saw what the captain
was doing.

" Perhaps not ; but it is best to have it ready
for the next time we want it. The major kept
it loaded all the time, and I shall follow his
example," replied the captain.

" Have you been hit, Percy ? " asked Christy,
looking out at the side under which the late
pilot had bestowed himself for safe-keeping.

" I have not been hit ; they could not see me
where I am. Have you been hit, Christy ? "
replied Percy.

" Not at all ; I took good care not to be seen
while they were firing. But your brother has
dropped astern of the Leopard in his boat, and
there is no danger here now : so you can come
in and take the helm, if you like."

Percy was glad to have something to do, for
he was very nervous; and he came into the pilot-
house. He was not half as airy as he had been
before, and the sound of the muskets and the
twelve -pounder on the forward deck had

306 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

undoubtedly made an impression upon him.
But he was as glad to take the wheel as
Christy was to have him, for he desired, to study
the situation after all the changes which had
been made in the position of the several vessels.

" You have had an awful time of it, Christy,"
said Percy, as he took the wheel. " I wonder
that you have not been killed."

" Not a very awful time of it, and T took good
care not to be killed," replied Christy. " A
fellow isn't good for much after he has been
killed, and it is always best to look out and not
get killed ; though I suppose one cannot always
help it."

" Did you fire the field-piece on the deck
below?"

" No, I did not ; that was done by Captain
Pecklar."

" My brother will have him hanged when he
gets hold of him," added Percy, shaking his
head.

"Very likely he will if he gets hold of him,
but we don't intend to let him get hold of
him."

Christy left the pilot-house, and went out on

A CANNON-BALL 307

the hurricane deck, where he could better see
all that was to be seen, and be alone with his
own thoughts. His first care was to ascertain
the position of his most active enemy, the long-
boat. He could see it a short distance astern of
the tug. It had changed its course, and was
following the Leopard, which was now gaining
rapidly upon it.

Directly ahead of the tug was the Bellevite,
not more than a quarter of a mile distant ; but
while she was going off to the north-west, the
Dauphine had kept more to the southward and
was now nearer than the steamer of Captain
Passford.

The remark which Captain Pecklar had made
when he came partly upon the hurricane deck,
that the Bellevite had changed her course
because Major Pierson had been fool enough to
fire at the tug, came up in Christy's mind again.
He had thought of it at the time it was uttered,
and several times since ; but he had not had the
time to weigh its meaning.

The owner's son knew very well that every
incident connected with the tug, and with the
other vessels in sight, had been carefully observed

308 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

and weighed by his father and Captain Breaker.
They had seen the boat leave the Leopard. It
looked like a stupid movement to do such a
thing, when the approach to the Bellevite could
be made so much more rapidly and safely in the
tug.

There must be a motive for such a singular
step. Of course the passage of the boat had
been closely observed, and the starting up of
the screw of the Leopard had been duly noted.
As the tug came near the long-boat, the latter had
fired upon it. This must have been seen ; and
the question naturally would come up as to why
those in the boat fired upon their own people in
the Leopard.

It was not likely that they could answer the
question in a satisfactory manner on board of
the Bellevite ; but the - firing indicated that an
enemy was in possession of the tug. This was
enough, in the opinion of Christy, as it had been
in that of Captain Pecklar, to produce the change
in her course.

The firing from both craft since the first
demonstration must have deepened the impres-
sion. Those on board of the Leopard must be

A CANNON-BALL 309

on the side of the Union, or the party in the
boat would not repeatedly fire upon them.
Christy was satisfied that his father would know
what all the indications meant before he aban-
doned the investigation.

But the Bellevite did not seem to be making
her best speed by a great deal. With his glass
he could see that there was a hand in the fore-
chains heaving the lead; and probably Captain
Breaker feared that the bottom " might be too
near the top of the water " for the draught of
his vessel, and he was proceeding with caution.

Christy descended the ladder to the main-deck.
He found Captain Pecklar in the fire-room,
shovelling coal into the furnace. He seemed to
be again nearly exhausted by the efforts he had
made during the morning ; and Christy took the
shovel from him, and did the work himself.

" You must not kill yourself, Captain Pecklar.
This is too hard work for you," said Christy.

"If I can only get out of this scrape, it will
not make much difference what becomes of me,"
replied the invalid faintly.

" I will do this work myself. Don't you touch
that shovel again."

310 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" But things are looking very badly indeed for
us, Christy," said the captain, bracing himself up
as if for a renewed effort. " The Belle is almost
up with the boat, and she will take Major
Pierson and his party on board ; and she is
nearer to us than the Bellevite."

" Is that so ? I have not looked astern for
some time," replied Christy, rather startled by
the information.

"The Bellevite is not sailing as fast as she
has some of the time, and both the Belle and
the Dauphine are nearer to us than she is,"
added Captain Pecklar. " I have been trying to
get up more steam."

" If my father only knew that I was on board
this tug, I should feel more hope," said Christy.

" Perhaps he suspects you are. He probably
sent ashore to obtain information in regard to
you. But we don't know."

Just then a cannon-ball made the splinters fly
all around them.

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE 311

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE

Christy rushed out of the engine-room,
followed by Captain Pecklar, to ascertain what
damage had been done to the tug by the shot.
A cloud of smoke rising from the Belle, astern
of the Leopard, informed them that the shot had
come from her. It had struck the house on
deck, carrying away the corner of the captain's
state-room ; but, beyond this, no damage appeared
to be done.

But the tug had broached to, and it was
evident that Percy had abandoned the wheel
when the shot struck the vessel ; and Christy
hastened to the pilot-house to restore the vessel
to her course. But he was closely followed by
the acting engineer. They found the volunteer
pilot lying on the deck, where he had been before
when the vessel was fired upon.

312 TAKEN" BY THE ENEMY

"Is that the way you steer the boat, Percy?"
said Christy reproachfully, as he went into the
pilot-house, and righted the helm.

" Didn't you hear that cannon-shot that struck
her just now?" demanded Percy, partly raising
himself from his recumbent posture.

"Of course I heard it: I am not deaf; and, if
I had been, I could have felt it. I don't believe
we shall want you on board of the Bellevite,
if that is the way you do your duty."

" I don't want to be shot by my own people,"
pleaded Percy. "Has the shot ruined the
vessel ? "

" Don't you see that she is going along the same
as ever? No harm has been done to her so far
as any further use to us is concerned," replied
Christy. " But, Captain Pecklar, as things are
now, we are running right into the fire."

Christy was more troubled than he had been
at any time before ; and he realized that it was
necessary to make some change in the course of
the Leopard, though she had the enemy on each
side of her.

" It don't look as well as it might," added the
captain gloomily.

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE 313

" The Dauphine is getting altogether too near
us, and we are making the distance between us
less every minute," added Christy.

" There comes another shot from the Belle.
She means business, and Major Pierson is cer-
tainly directing things on board of her. We
can't stand that any longer. But she wasted her
powder that time, and we must do better than
that. What do you intend to do, Christy."

"I mean to come about, and take a course
between the Belle and the Dauphine : that is the
most hopeful thing I can think off," replied
Christy, after another careful survey of the posi-
tions of the enemy.

" I think you are right."

"We will come about, then;" and Christy
threw over the wheel.

" That will bring our gun where we can use it ;
and we shall have a better chance at the Belle
than she has at us, for she is larger, and has a
crowd of men on her main deck," added Captain
Pecklar, as he went to the ladder.

" If you are not afraid of those shots, I am
not," said Percy, coming into the pilot-house
again ; and he was evidently ashamed of himself

314 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

when he saw a fellow younger than himself taking
no notice of them.

" I don't pretend to like them, or that I am not
afraid of them ; but I shall do my duty in
spite of them," replied Christy. " I should be
ashamed to meet my father, if I ever see him
again, if I gave up the fight, and allowed myself
to be kept as a prisoner."

" I want to get away from here as much as you
do ; and I will take the wheel again, if you will
let me," continued Percy.

"I don't ask you to expose yourself; but, if
you take the helm, you must stick to it till you
are relieved. We have no time to fool with
you."

« I will stick to it, Christy."

^ Very well, then you shall take it ; but if you
desert your post again, I will shoot you the first
time I set eyes on you."

" That is rough."

" If you think it is, don't take the helm."

"I will take it, for I had rather be shot by
those in the other steamers than by you."

" I am going below to help Captain Pecklar ;
but the moment the tug goes wrong, I shall

"I have hit Her" (Page 315)

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE 315

send a ball from my revolver up into the
pilot-house."

" I understand you, and it looks as though we
were getting into a hot place. I will do my duty
as well as I know how. Now tell me how I am
to steer."

" Run for that point you see far off to the
northward."

Christy went to the main deck forward, where
he found Captain Pecklar getting the field-piece
ready for use. The Belle was now quite near
on the one hand, while the Dauphine was hardly
farther off on the other hand. The Belle vite
was coming down from the north-east, with the
lead still going in her chains. The immediate
clanger was to come from the Belle.

" That won't do ! " exclaimed Captain Pecklar,
when they had the gun in position for use.

" What won't do ? " asked Christy.

" Didn't you notice that ? They are firing
rifle-balls from the Belle. One of them just
struck the bulkhead."

"I don't see that we can help ourselves,
whether it will do or not."

" The chances are in our favor, however, for

316 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

the men cannot handle their rifles to the best
advantage while the Belle heaves in the sea,"
added the captain. " Don't stand up where
they can see you, Christy, but get down on the
deck with that lock-string in your hand. When
I give you the word, pull it as quick as you
can," said the captain, as he sighted the gun,
and changed its position several times.

He was a sailor, and the artillery officers at
the forts had trained the men employed on the
tugs in handling the pieces put on board of
them, to be used in bringing vessels to. Better
than any soldier, he could make the proper
allowance for the motion of the steamer in the
sea, which was becoming heavier.

" Fire ! " shouted he, with more voice than he
was supposed to have in the feeble condition
of his lungs.

The gunner had loaded the piece himself, and
it made a tremendous report when Christy pulled
the lock-string. The Leopard shook under the
concussion of the discharge, and she was com-
pletely enveloped in smoke ; so that they could
not see whether the Belle had been hit or not.
But in the distance they could hear hoarse

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE 317

shouts in the direction of the Belle, and they
concluded that something had happened in that
quarter.

Christy had brought down the glass with him ;
and he directed it towards the steamer aimed at
as soon as the smoke began to blow out of the
way, though it was some time before he could
get a clear view of her.

" By the great Constitution ! " exclaimed
Captain Pecklar, before Christy could cover the
Belle with his glass. " I have hit her ! "

"Where?" asked the other, elated at the
intelligence.

" Right on the bow ! There is a hole big
enough to roll a wheelbarrow through," replied
the captain, greatly excited. " She has stopped
her wheels."

" That's a nice hole ! " added Christy, as he
got the glass to bear on it, and his hopes began
to rise again. " It is just about big enough for
a small wheelbarrow. But they have gone to
work on it, and are putting mattresses over it."

" That craft is finished for to-day, and we
needn't worry any more about her," said the
captain. "She will not get that hole stopped

318 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

up for an hour or longer, and I hope this affair
will be over before this can be done. Shall we
give them another shot? What do you think,
Christy? She holds still now, and I believe I
can hit her every time."

" Decidedly not : she is disabled for the
present, and that is all I care for. We are not
in war trim," replied Christy, as he turned his
attention in the direction of the other vessels.

" As I told you, the Dauphine is fast ; and
she will be down upon us in less than five
minutes more," said Captain Pecklar.

" I wonder that she don't fire upon us," added
Christy.

" I doubt if she has any guns on board, though
she may have a field-piece or two."

" The Bellevite is waking up, I think," said
Christy.

" She is getting into deeper water."

" But the Dauphine is coming right between
the Leopard and the Bellevite," continued
Christy, as he brought the glass to bear upon
her, though she was near enough to be distinctly
seen with the naked eye. " Whether she had
any guns or not, she has plenty of men on

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE 319

board ; and it is easy enough to see what she
intends to do."

" What do you think she intends to do ? " asked
the captain.

" Of course she came out here after the Belle-
vite, as the Belle did also ; but her people have
seen what the Leopard has been about for the last
hour, and they intend to dispose of us before they
hunt for the bigger game."

"She may capture the Bellevite after she has
finished her business with us," said the captain,
looking very anxious.

" She may, but I don't believe she will. You
have proved that you are all right, Captain
Prcklar, and I don't mind telling you now that
the Bellevite is heavily armed. Captain Breaker
was a lieutenant in the navy, and he knows how
to handle a ship," replied Christy.

"Then, if we escape the Dauphine, we shall be
all right."

" The Dauphine will come down, and throw a
few men on board of us ; boarding us, in fact, as
we have no force with which to help ourselves,"'
added Christy, as he took a small American flag
from his pocket.

320 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

It had been made by his mother on the late
cruise of the steamer, and it was a sort of talisman
with him, which he had often displayed in foreign
lands. He found a pole on the deck, to which he
attached the emblem of his whole country, and
displayed it at the bow of the tug. He hoped
that his father or the captain might see it, and
recognize it as the one he had so often seen on
board and ashore.

" That's a handsome flag, Christy ; and it does
me good to see it again," said Captain Pecklar, as
he took off his hat, and bowed reverently to it.

" Percy, hard-a-starboard the helm ! " shouted
Christy to the helmsman. "Head her for the
Belle."

" All right."

" I think we can increase the distance a little
between us and the Dauphine," added Christy.

" That's a good move ; for we have been putting
ourselves nearer to her when there was no need
of it, as there has not been since the Belle was
disabled."

He had hardly spoken the words before a tre-
mendous cheer came from the Bellevite, and her
fore-rigging appeared to be filled with men. The

THE AMERICAN jFLAG TO THE FORE 321

cheer was repeated till it had been given at least
" three times three."

" What does that mean, Christy ? " asked
Captain Pecklar.

" It means that my father or some one on board
has recognized my flag. I should have set it
before if we had been near enough for them to
make it out. But they have seen it, and J feel
sure that all the steamers in the bay could not
capture us now. Look at the Bellevite ! "

She seemed suddenly to have taken the bit in
her teeth, and she was rushing forward at a speed
which she had not before exhibited. Paul Vapoor
was evidently wide awake.

A little later her port-holes flew open.

322 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

CHAPTER XXIX

ON BOARD OF THE BELLEVITE

The crisis was at hand ; for the Dauphine was
darting in between the Leopard and the Bellevite,
between father and son. On the port rail of the
former, as if ready to leap upon the deck of the
tug, were at least twenty men ; and, for the first
time, the plan of the enemy became apparent to
Christy Passford.

He hastened to the hurricane deck of the
Leopard, where he could see more clearly ; and
it was evident to him that the question before
them would be settled within a very few minutes.
If he and his companions fell into the hands of the
enemy, nothing less than a severe fight with the
Dauphine, perhaps aided by the Belle, on the part
of the Bellevite could undo the mischief.

Christy was disposed to leave nothing to be
undone. Rushing into the pilot-house, he seized

ON BOARD OF THE BELLEV1TE 323

the wheel, and threw it over, determined to
redeem the fate of the tug while he could.
Captain Pecklar had crowded on all the steam he
could, and doubtless the boat was doing her very
best. She flew round like a top, careening till
her rail was under water.

" Hard up, Percy ! " cried he, while the tug was
still whirling. " Those men will drop on board
of us if we don't get out of the Dauphine's way."

" The Bellevite is almost into her," added the
volunteer pilot.

Paul Vapoor evidently understood the situation,
and must have been preparing for it for some time,
though the shoal-water had prevented the steamer
from taking advantage of his effort. She had
suddenly begun to dart ahead as though she had
been an object shot from one of her biggest guns ;
and she seemed almost to leap out of the water in
her struggle to come between the Leopard and
the Dauphine.

The Bellevite was certainly making two miles
to her rival's one in the race, and it looked as
though she would strike her sharp bow into the
broadside of the enemy. She seemed to rely
on a vigorous blow with her stem rather than on

824 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

her guns ; for as yet she had not fired a shot,
though she was fully prepared to do so.

The Leopard came about in double-quick time ;
and as soon as her keel was at right angles with
that of the Dauphine, Christy righted the helm,
and let her go in the direction of the disabled
Belle. She rolled, pitched, and plunged in the
sea, which had been increasing very sensibly
within a short time ; but she went ahead at her
best speed, and that was all Christy wanted of
her.

The Bellevite was still rushing down upon the
Dauphine as though she intended to annihilate
her when the crash came, as come it must within
a minute or two. Christy's heart was in his
throat, for he felt that his own safety depended
upon the events of the next two minutes. A
tremendous collision was impending, and thus
far the Dauphine had done nothing to avoid it.
Doubtless her commander had gauged the speed
of the Bellevite by what she had been doing
in the shoal water, and had not believed she
could overhaul him before he had thrown a force
on board of the Leopard.

" Now, keep her as she is, Percy, and we shall

ON BOARD OF THE BELLEV1TE 325

soon know what is going to happen," said
Christy, when the tug had come about so that
he could not readily see the movements of the
other steamers.

" We are running right into the Belle,"
suggested Percy.

" This thing will be settled before we can
come within hail of her, and I don't think she
wants any thing more of us at present," replied
Christy, as he left the pilot-house, and hastened aft,
where he could get a better view of the situation.

" There is a row on board of the Dauphine,"
said Captain Pecklar, who had come to the stern
for the same purpose as Christy. " Those men
are leaping down from the rail."

" What has happened on board of her ? "
asked Christy.

" Nothing ; but the Bellevite is coming into
her full tilt, and they know that the shock will
knock all those men overboard ; and I think
they don't want to have to stop to pick them
up," answered the captain.

At this moment several sharp orders were
given on board of the Dauphine, and her head
began to swing around to the northward.

32(3 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" That's what's the matter ! " exclaimed the
captain. " They think they won't wait for
the rap the Bellevite is ready to give them."

The helm of the enemy's steamer had been
put hard-a-port ; and as she promptly came about,
the sharp bow of the Bellevite shot past her
quarter, and she barely escaped the blow. It
look as though those on board of either vessel
could have leaped to the deck of the other.

" What is the reason she don't fire upon the
Bellevite?" asked Christy, when he felt that
the crisis was past.

" I don't believe she has any guns on board
yet, though I don't know," replied the captain.

" What is she going to do now, I wonder."

" I think she will come about and try to board
the Bellevite now. It seems to me that if she
had any guns on board, she would have opened
fire before this time."

" We must look out, or the Bellevite will run
into us," added Christy, as he went forward to
the pilot-house.

" That steamer has come about," said Percy,
as he joined him.

"If she had not come about, the Bellevite

OX BOARD OF THE BELLEVITE 327

would have cut through her starboard quarter,"
replied Christy. "But we are all right now, and
I think the excitement is about over.'1

By this time the Bellevite was abreast of the
Leopard, and not half a cable's length from her ;
but there was no demonstration at all of any
sort on board of her. Her high bulwarks con-
cealed the whole ship's company; and no one
could be seen but the lookouts forward, and a
couple of officers in the rigging of the mainmast.

" Now we will get a little nearer to her," said
Christy, as he threw the wheel over. " She is
coming about."

The Bellevite was blowing off steam, and she
had reduced her speed as soon as she went clear
of the Dauphine. In a minute more, when she
had come a little nearer to the Leopard, she
stopped her screw.

" Tug, ahoy ! " shouted some one, in whose
voice Christy recognized that of Captain Breaker.

"On board the Bellevite ! " responded Christy.

" Come alongside ! " added the commander of
the steamer.

"That's just what I was going to do," added
Christy to his companion.

823 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

" I suppose we are all right now, are we not,
Christy ? " asked Percy.

" I don't know what will come up next. The
Dauphine is still afloat, and in good condition ;
and I don't believe she is going to let the
Bellevite off without doing something."

Captain Pecklar was letting off steam also ; for
he realized that the battle, so far as the Leopard
was concerned, was finished. Christy steered the
tug alongside of the steamer; and when he rang
the bell finally to stop her, after a rope had been
heaved on board of her, he left the engine,
with the steam still escaping from the boiler, and
the furnace-door wide open, and went to the
pilot-house.

" Hurry up ! " shouted Captain Breaker, appear-
ing on the rail of the Bellevite, at the gang-
way.

Captain Pecklar looked astern of the tug, and
saw that the Dauphine was rapidly approaching.
She had come about, and her captain did not
appear to be satisfied with saving his own vessel
from the collision, and intended to make another
movement. But he had gone some distance
before he came about, though he was now rather

ON BOARD OF THE BELLEVITE 329

too near for the comfort of the Bellevite after she
had stopped her screw.

" What shall we do with this tug ? " asked
Christy, who had some doubts whether or not
he ought to leave the Leopard in condition for
further use by the enemy.

" We have no time to bother with her, and
she don't amount to any thing. Come on board
as quick as you can," replied Captain Breaker.

" Go on board, Captain Pecklar," said Christy,
pointing- to the gangway. " Come, Percy, your
troubles are over for the present."

The captain went up the ladder, followed by
Percy, and Christy went the last ; for he felt that
he must see his friends through before he aban-
doned the Leopard himself. The moment the
owner's son showed himself on the rail, a burst
of cheers came from the ship's company, to which
he replied by taking off his cap and bowing.

" I am glad to see you again, Christy," said his
father, as he descended to the deck and found
himself in the arms of Captain Passford. "I was
afraid I should have to leave you here, though T
did not intend to do that as long as a plank of
the Bellevite remained under me."

330 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

Christy found his father a great deal more
demonstrative than he had ever known him to be
before, and he fully realized that he had had a
very narrow, and even a wonderful escape since
he had been taken by the enemy.

Captain Breaker did not wait for father and
son to finish their affectionate greetings ; but as
soon as Christy put his foot on the rail he directed
the line to the tug to be cast off, and the order
was given to start the screw. The Bellevite went
ahead again, and the commander gave out the
course for her.

Before Captain Passford was ready to think
of any thing except the joyful meeting with his
son, Captain Pecklar suddenly dropped to the
deck as though a bullet from the enemy had
finished his career in the very moment of victory
Christy broke from his father, and hastened to
his assistance. He had fainted again from
exhaustion after the efforts of the day. Dr.
Linscott was at his side almost as soon as Christy.
and the sufferer was borne to the cabin, where
he was placed in one of the vacant state-rooms.

" Who is that man, Christy ? " asked Captain
Passford, as soon as the invalid had been cared
for.

ON BOARD OF THE BELLEVITE 331

" That is Captain Pecklar ; and he is a Union
man, though he has been in charge of that tug in
the service of the forts. But he is in consump-
tion, and he does not believe he can live much
longer. He says lie would rather die at home
than live down here,'1 replied Christy.

4- He looks like a sick man," added the owner.

" He is, and he has worked altogether beyond
his strength. But I believe I should not have
been here, father, at this moment, if he had not
worked with me, and acted with the utmost
courage and devotion. "'

" Then he shall want for nothing while he is on
board of the Bellevite."

" But I am sure that the doctor can improve his
condition ; at least, I hope he can."

" He can if any one can. But how happens
Percy to be with you in the tug?" asked Captain
Passford, as he looked about him for the young
man, who was standing near the mainmast,
watching the approaching smoke-stack of the
Dauphine.

" Percy has not been as reliable as Captain
Pecklar ; but he has done well, and has rendered
good service. He has steered the tug for some

332 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

time," replied Christy, calling to him the subject
of the last remarks.

" I am glad to see you again, Mr. Percy," said
the owner, giving him his hand. " I am under
obligations to you for all you have done to assist
my son on board of that tug."

" I was at work too for myself," said Percy,
taking the offered hand. " I don't belong on this
side of the question, and all I want is to get back
to Nassau. I have nothing to expect from my
brother, Major Pierson, and my mother cannot
protect me."

" In consideration of the service you have ren-
dered to my son, I shall be glad to do all I can to
assist you in getting there."

" Thank you, sir."

"But where is Florry, father?" asked Christy,
looking about the deck.

" I could not allow her to be on deck when a
shot was liable to come on board. She is in the
cabin, and she will be as glad to see you as I
have been," replied Captain Passford.

Christy hastened to the cabin.

RUNNING THE GANTLET 333

CHAPTER XXX

RUNNING THE GANTLET

Captain Passford and Percy soon followed
Christy into the cabin, and the meeting of the
brother and sister was quite as affectionate as that
between father and son had been. In fact, none
of them cared now for the steamers of the enemy,
or for any thing else, except to get out of Mobile
Bay.. Christy told his story ; and he learned that
his father had sent a party ashore the night before
to look for him, though they had been unable to
obtain the slightest information in regard to him.

Captain Breaker insisted that Christy was on
board of the Leopard, though not till the soldiers
in the long-boat had fired into the tug. The father
believed that his son would not tamely submit to
being made a prisoner, and the act of Major
Pierson had almost convinced him that the com-
mander was right. He had not been fully satisfied

334 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

on this point till he recognized the silk American
Hag at the fore of the tug.

But Captain Passford was too much interested
in the situation on deck to remain long in the
cabin , and he left Christy there with Florry, who
seemed to be supremely happy, now that the
family was in a fair way to be re-united at no
distant day.

" I think you know the gentleman who has
made, all this trouble for me, Florry," said Christy,
when he and Percy were alone with her.

"How can I know him?" asked the fair girl,
puzzled.

" He is my brother, Major Pierson ; and they
say he used to call at Colonel Passford's once in
a while, while I was away at school," interposed
Percy.

" Then I do know him," replied Florry,
blushing.

" Father thought, or at least he feared, that you
might not like to leave the South," added Christy.

"Did he say so?" asked the fair maiden,
laughing.

" He did not say a word, but I could tell by
his looks."

RUNNING THE GANTLET 335

" Then papa was very much mistaken. Major
Pierson was very kind and polite to me, and I
think he is a gentleman ; but I have had no desire
to remain at Glenfield on his account."

Florry spoke as though she intended this remark
to be the end of the conversation on that subject,
and Christy felt quite sure that she was not deeply
interested in the commander of Fort Gaines.

" Now, I wonder if I can't go on deck," contin-
ued Florry, breaking away from the disagreeable
conversation. " They are not firing now."

" I don't know, but I will go on deck and ask
father if you wish."

" Do, Christy, if you please."

The Bellevite was shaking in all her frame ; for
Paul Vapoor was again exercising his skill upon
the screw, and she was flying through the water.
The Dauphine seemed to be struggling to get up
an equal degree of speed ; but, fast as she was
said to be, the Bellevite was running away from
her. There was no excitement on deck, and
Christy readily obtained the required permission
for his sister.

Captain Pecklar, under the skilful treatment of
Dr. Linscott, had improved a great deal, though

336 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

he still remained in his bed. He declared that he
felt like a new man ; and, whether he lived or died,
he was as happy as any man ought to be on the
face of the earth.

" That steamer off to the north-west has set her
ensign with the union down, though I can't make
out what the flag is," said Captain Breaker,
addressing the owner, as Christy came on deck.

" What does that mean ? " asked Captain Pass-
ford, getting upon the rail with the commander.

" I am sure I don't know. I suppose it is a
signal of distress, but it may be a trick of some
sort," added Captain Breaker.

" Do you know any thing about that steamer
over there, Christy ? " asked the owner, calling his
son.

" That is the Belle, and I believe she came from
Mobile," replied Christy.

"What is she out here for?"

" I have no doubt she came out here to capture
the Bellevite. Uncle Homer must have sent word
to some one in Mobile, judging from what I heard
Major Pierson say ; and probably that steamer
came out here to prevent the Bellevite from going
into the navy of the Union."

RUNNING THE GANTLET 337

" But why does she hoist a signal of distress ? "

'• I think it is very likely she is in distress."

"She is firing a gun,'' added Captain Breaker,
as a cloud of smoke rose from the Belle.

" Why do you think she is in distress, Christy ? "
asked his father.

" She opened fire on the Leopard, after she had
picked up the boat containing Major Pierson's
party . and Captain Pecklar and I gave her a shot
in return, which went through her bow and made
a big hole. She stopped her wheels then, and
since that she has been out of the fight.

" The Dauphine is coming about," added
Christy, as he joined the commander and his
father on the rail.

" The Dauphine ? " queried Captain Passford.

" That is her name. Captain Pecklar can tell
you something about her. He says she is fitting
up for the Confederate navy, but he thinks she
has no guns on board yet."

"•It is beginning to blow very fresh," said
Captain Breaker, as he took a look at the sky and
the waters of the bay. " My barometer indicates
nasty weather."

"There is too much sea, at any rate, for a

338 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

steamer with a big hole in her bow," said Captain
Passford.

Christy told all he knew about the Belle, and
the owner declared that he had no desire to see
the large number of men on board of her drowned
before his eyes. The gun the disabled steamer
had fired was regarded as another signal of
distress, which indicated that the situation was
becoming urgent with her.

" She has hoisted a white flag," added Captain
Breaker ; and no glass was needed to disclose the
fact that a panic existed on board of her, for men
who could fight bravely for a cause they deemed
right might not be willing to be drowned without
being able to lift a finger to save themselves.

" Come about, Breaker, and run for the disabled
steamer," said Captain Passford, in a decided tone ;
and the order was instantly obeyed.

The commander sent Christy to the chief engi-
neer to have him increase the speed of the steamer,
at the suggestion of the owner. Paul had not
seen him before, and the two friends hugged each
other like a couple of girls when they came
together. But the chief did not lose a moment in
obeying the order brought to him. In a few

KUNNING THE GANTLET 339

minutes the Bellevite passed the Dauphine, and
reached the vicinity of the Belle, which was evi-
dently sinking, for she had settled a good deal in
the water.

Four boats were instantly lowered into the
water ; and Christy was assigned to the command
of one of them, while the first and second officers
and the boatswain went in charge of the others.
These boats were skilfully handled, and they
dashed boldly up to the sinking craft. The
soldiers on board of her were more afraid of water
than they were of fire, and the four boats were
soon loaded.

uIs that you, Christy?" said one of his
passengers.

Christy looked, and saw that the person who
addressed him was his uncle Homer.

" Yes, sir," replied the nephew ; but he did not
venture to say any thing more.

" I was not aware that you were taking an
active part in this affair till Major Pierson told
me that you had taken possession of his steam-tug,
and that it was you who had fired the shot which
disabled the Belle," continued Colonel Passford,
evidently very much troubled and annoyed.

340 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY.

"I was made a prisoner by the major, and I
have done what I could to get out of his hands,"
replied Christy. " I suppose you came out in this
steamer for the purpose of capturing the Bellevite ;
but you have not done it yet, and I don't believe
you will."

" I should like to see your father," added the
colonel.

" We are ordered to put these people on board
of the Dauphine, and she has just stopped
her screw. I cannot disobey my orders, uncle
Homer."

But Christy did not like to prolong the conver-
sation, and he told his men to give way. The sea
had certainly increased till it made it live]y for
the boats, and the colonel said no more. The
passengers were put on board of the Dauphine,
and it was not necessary for more than two of the
boats to return to the Belle for the rest of the men
on board of her. Colonel Passford insisted upon
boarding the Bellevite, after the others had left
the boat, and Christy yielded the point.

The Confederate brother was received by the
Union brother as though nothing had occurred to
divide them. He was conducted to the cabin, as

RUNNING THE GANTLET 341

it had just begun to rain, where he was greeted
as kindly by Florry.

" I am sorry you left me in such an abrupt
manner, Horatio," said Homer, very much embar-
rassed. " I think you took a rather unfair
advantage of the circumstances."

"Unfair? What? When you said outright
that you intended to take steps for the capture of
my steamer, the only means of reaching my family,
and conveying my daughter to her home, that
were within my reach. I came here on a peaceful
mission, and I think the unfairness was all on the
other side," replied Horatio.

" I still believe that I had no moral right, before
God and my countrymen, to allow you to hand
this fine steamer over to the Yankee navy : but I
was on board of the Belle for the purpose of seeing
that no harm came to you, or any member of your
family," said Homer with deep feeling.

" Then I thank you for your good intentions.
But I believed, before God and my countrymen
North and South, that I had no moral right to let
this vessel be taken for the use of the Confed-
eracy . and I would have burned her on the waters
of Mobile Bay before I would have given her up,"

342 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

added Horatio, quite as earnestly as the other had
spoken.

" Fortune has favored you this time, Horatio ;
but when you are suffering and in want from the
effects of this war, remember that I shall always
have a brother's heart in my bosom, and that it
will always be open to you and yours."

" I heartily reciprocate this fraternal sentiment,
and I am confident that you will need my assist-
ance before I need yours ; but all that I have and
all that I am shall be at your service, Homer."

" I am glad that we understand each other, and
I rejoice that I came on board of your steamer for
these parting words. I will not ask you what you
are going to do next, for you would not tell me ;
but I shall expect to hear that the Bellevite has
been sunk in attempting to pass the forts."

" Better that than in the service of the enemies
of my country, Homer.'"

They parted with tears in the eyes of both,
and never before had they realized how stern and
severe was the mandate of duty. Christy con-
veyed his uncle back to the Dauphine, shook
hands with him, and returned to the Bellevite.

The mission of the steamer in Mobile Bay ended,

RUNNING THE GANTLET 343

and she had nothing more to do but return to her
native waters, though perhaps this would prove to
be the most difficult part of the entire enterprise.
The steamer stood down the bay in the drenching
rain, and was soon buried in a dense fog that was
blown in by the wind from the gulf. She lay off
and on during the rest of the day, and the com-
mander made his preparations for running the
gantlet of the forts.

This was not so difficult and dangerous an
enterprise as it became later when the channel
was obstructed, though even now the feat could
not be accomplished without great difficulty and
danger. In the course of the day, Captain Peck-
lar left his berth and came on deck. Captain
Breaker decided to leave the piloting of the
steamer to him, after he had conversed for hours
with him.

No better night in the whole year could have
been selected for the undertaking. It had ceased
to rain, but the darkness and the fog were as
dense as possible. The pilot manifested entire
confidence, as he had plenty of water in the chan-
nel, and he knew all about the currents, the tide,
and the action of the wind. It was an exciting

344 TAKEN BY THE ENEMY

time, when every light on board was extinguished,
and the steamer started down the bay with
Captain Pecklar and two quartermasters at the
wheel.

After the Bellevite had passed the dangerous
part of the channel, firing was heard from Fort
Morgan ; but the vessel was soon in the Gulf of
Mexico. Heavy guns were heard for some time,
but all on board of the steamer could afford to
laugh at them. The ship continued on her course,
and among the islands near Nassau Percy Pierson
was put on board of a schooner bound to New
Providence.

In eight days from the time she passed the forts,
the Bellevite steamed into New York Bay, and
then to Bonnydale on the Hudson, where the
family were again re-united, and the fond mother
wept over her two children, restored to her after
all the dangers of the past.

On his arrival, Captain Passford found letters
for him from the Government, and the offer of the
Bellevite had been promptly accepted. After
having been Taken by the Enemy, on the next
voyage Christy found himself Within the Enemy's
Lines.

OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS.

THE BOAT-BUILDER SERIES

Completed in Six Volumes. Illustrated.
Per Vol., $1.25.

1. ALL ADRIFT;

Or, The Goldwing tDmfe.

2. SNUG HARBOR;

Or, The Champlain Mechanics.

8. SQUARE AND COMPASS;

Or, Building the House*

4. STEM TO STERN;

Or, Building the Boat*

6. ALL TAUT;

Or, Rigging the Boat*

«. READY ABOUT;

Or, Sailing the Boat*

The series includes in six successive volumes the whole art
of boat-building, boat-rigging, boat-managing, and practical
hints to make the ownership of a boat pay. A great deal of
useful information will be given in this Boat-Building series,
and in each book a very interesting story is sure to be inter-
woven with the information. Every reader will be interested
at once in " Dory," the hero ot "All Adrift," and one of th«
characters to be retained in the future volumes of the series ,
at least there are already several of his recently made friendi
who do not want to lose sight of him, and this will be the
cage of pretty much every boy who makes his acquaintance
in "All Adrift."

OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS.

YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD.

FIRST SERIES.

A Iiibrary of Travel and Adventure in Foreign Lands. 16m*.

Illustrated by Wast, Stevens, Perkins, and others.

Per volume, $1.50.

1. OUTWARD BOUND;

Or, Young America Afloat.

2. SHAMROCK AND THISTLE;

Or, Young America in Ireland and Scotland,

3. RED CROSS;

Or. Young America in England and Wales.

4. DIKES AND DITCHES;

Or, Young America in Holland and Belgium.

5. PALACE AND COTTAGE;

Or, Young America in France and Switzerland.

0. DOWN THE RHINE;

Or, Young America in Germany.

The story from its inception and through the twelve vol
umes {<$ee Second Series), is a bewitching one, while the in-
formation imparted, concerning the countries of Europe and
the isles of the sea, is not only correct in every particular, but
is told in a captivating style. " Oliver Optic" will continue
to be the boy's friend, and his pleasant books will continue to
he read by thousands of American bo}Ts. What a fine holiday
present either or both series of " Young America Abroad"
would be for a young friend ! It would make a little library
highly prized by the recipient, and would not be an expensive
one. — Providence Press.

OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS.

YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD.

SECOND SERIES.

A. Library of Travel and Adventure in Foreign Lands. 16mo.

Illustrated by Wast, Stevens, Perkins, and others.

Per volume, $1.50.

1. UP THE BALTIC;

Or, Young America in Norway, Sweden, and

Denmark.

2. NORTHERN LANDS;

Or, Young America in Russia and Prussia.

3. CROSS AND CRESCENT;

Or, Young America in Turkey and Greeoe.

4. SUNNY SHORES;

Or, Young America in Italy and Austria.

5. VINE AND OLIVE;

Or, Young America in Spain and Portugal.

6. ISLES OF THE SEA;

Or, Yoo'iig America Homeward Bound.

" Oliver Optic" is a nom de plume that is known and loved
by ?lmost every boy of intelligence in the land. "We have
seen a highly intellectual and world-weary man, a cynic whose
heart was somewhat imbittered by its large experience of
human nature, take up one of Oliver Optic's books and read
it at a sitting, neglecting his work in jielding to the fascina-
tion of the pages. "When a mature and exceedingly well-
informed mind, long despoiled of all its freshness, can thus
find pleasure in a book for boys, no additional words of rec-
ommendation are needed. — Svmday Times.

OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS.

ARMY AND NAVY STORIES

Six Volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.50.

1. THE SOLDIER BOY ;

Or, Tom Somers in the Army.

2. THE SAILOR BOY;

Or, Jack Somers in the Navy.

3. THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT;

Or, Adventures of an Army Officer.

4. THE YANKEE MIDDY;

Or, Adventures of a Navy Officer.

5. FIGHTING JOE;

Or, The Fortunes of a Staff Offiwsr.

6. BRAVE OLD SALT ;

Or, Life on the Quarter-Deck.

This series of six volumes recounts the adventures of two
brothers, Tom and Jack Somers, one in the arnry, the other in
the nav}T, in the great civil war. The romantic narratives of
the fortunes and exploits of the brothers are thrilling in the
extreme. Historical accuracy in the recital of the grea+
events of that period is strictly followed, and the result is
not only a library of entertaining volumes, but also the best
history of the civil war for young people ever written.

OLIVER OPTIC* S BOOKS.

THE ONWARD AND UPWARD

SERIES.

Complete in six volumes. Illustrated. In neat fooa^
Per volume, $1.95.

1. FIELD AND FOREST;

Or, The Fortunes of a Farmer.

2. PLANE AND PLANK;

Or, The Mishaps of a Mechanic.

8. DESK AND DEBIT;

Or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk.

4. CRINGLE AND CROSS-TREE;

Or, The Sea Swashes of a Sailor.

5. BIVOUAC AND BATTLE;

Or, The Struggles of a Soldier.

6. SEA AND SHORE;

Or, The Tramps of a Traveller.

Paul Farringford, the hero of these tales, is, like most of
Ids author's heroes, a young man of high spirit, and of high
aims and correct principles, appearing in the different vol-
umes as a farmer, a captain, a bookkeeper, a soldier, a sailor,
and a traveller. In all of them the hero meets with very
exciting adventures, told in the graphic style for which the
author is famous. — Native.

OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS.

FAMOUS "BOAT-CLUB" SERIES

Library for Voting People. Six volumes, handsomely illustrated
Per volume, $1.35.

l THE BOAT CLUB;

Or, The Bunkers of Ripple ton.

2. ALL ABOARD;

Or, Life on the Lake*

3. NOW OR NEVER;

Or, The Adventures of Bobby Bright.

4. TRY AGAIN ;

Or, The Trials and Triumphs of Harry West

5. POOR AND PROUD;

Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn.

6. LITTLE BY LITTLE;

Or, The Cruise of the Flyaway.

This is the first series of books written for the young by
* Oliver Optic." It laid the foundation for his fame as the
first of authors in which the }*oung delight, and gained for
him the title of the Prince of Story-Tellers. The six books
are varied in incident and plot, but all are entertaining and
original.